Omni Architects Monograph - Volume 1

Volume 1 1975 - 1999

Omni Architects

our search for Architecture

Copyright Š 2019 Omni Associates, Ltd; dba Omni Architects. www.omniarchitects.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission in writing from Omni Architects.

Editorial Assistance: Gregory Luhan, Ph.D., AIA. Design: Omni Architects.

Design Coordinator: Lauren Delventhal.

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Dedicated to the many clients that have been the inspiration for our work, with our thanks for their patience, support, loyalty, and trust in what we do.

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Contents

Foreword 8 Introduction 12 Our History

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Our Place

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Our Guiding Beliefs

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Our Work: 1975 - 1999

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Acknowledgments

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Clients 276 Awards 281 List of Personnel

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Foreword Omni Architects | Precise Formulations of an Engaged Pursuit This publication presents over four decades of architecture developed in and around the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The intent of this monograph is less about documenting the projects for the sake of documenting the projects, but rather to offer a glimpse into a practice calibrated by significant buildings that emerged from specific research-driven concepts and unique client demands. The monograph, therefore, is an opportunity to give voice to the Omni Architects practice while providing insights into the firm’s inner workings and conveying projects as contextualized moments in time.

Omni Architects is the most recognized architectural practice in the State of Kentucky.

AIA-Kentucky has awarded Omni twentyeight Design Excellence Awards and two Distinguished Firm awards. Omni’s work spans over four decades and includes more than 500 projects. The result of this sustained effort is not bound to a specific style, though it is decidedly Modern. Omni’s work is of both its time and place. The transformational capacity of Omni to influence design is evident. The Northern Kentucky University (NKU) Student Union (project #0311) earned a spot in the Top 10 “Most Influential Buildings in Kentucky” plus the accolade as 8

the “Best University Project in Kentucky,” while their University of Kentucky Health Services Building (project #0510) also placed in the Top 50. The projects and awards validate their design. Most monographs present a chronological compendium of work.

While this book project shares the same chronological format, as a researcher who is outside of the firm, yet who is knowledgeable about their work, I saw the immense value of understanding Omni through a critical longitudinal section of their work. The goal of this publication project, therefore, is to provide invaluable insights into the impact of each project as part of a comprehensive and integrated methodology implemented by the firm. As Michael Jacobs states, “this monograph demonstrates a search and eventual emergence of a voice that defines the beliefs and aspirations of an architect’s ability to create better physical environments.1” As demonstrated by the projects included in this publication, location does not define Omni’s ethos, but rather, it inspires it to have more significant implications Within the constellation of practices that dot the Kentucky landscape, Omni Architects embodies a practice that presents an impassioned ability to raise expectations

for the profession and the client alike. Their explorations raise the bar for architectural designs across the Commonwealth that resonate with the rural, urban, and academic communities they serve. While the body of work primarily resides within Kentucky, juries comprised of nationally recognized designers applaud Omni’s work for its innovative architectural solutions that exceed the normative status quo, and the widely accepted design conditions found across the Commonwealth. Each project responds to different contextual influences and pragmatic concerns that they deftly and iteratively develop with their clients. For Omni, architecture is an engaged dialogue between the architect, the client, and the program as manifest through construction typology and material expression.

Timeless and Current The terms - timeless and current - reflect the firm’s work. Their projects represent a diverse range of scales, typology, and settings that Omni translates into vibrant forms, proportions, and spatial compositions.

Their projects present a crafted architectural response informed by light and plasticity of forms characterized by an interplay of light and material, using both in provocative and interactive ways. Each project features spatial and surface-based manipulations that provide an altruistic visual effect – to enhance people’s lives through building design – and often, Omni’s buildings use familiar materials in unique and creative ways.

Method of Working In his seminal book, The Reflective Practitioner, social scientist, Donald Schon states “professionals become aware of their implicit knowledge base and learn from their experience.2” Omni Architects is a reflective practice that demonstrates the level of thoughtfulness that goes into each project. Their process-driven methodology aligns data-driven decision-making that takes

the client and the team on a design journey that is transparent. Their years of experience enable them to see each project with new eyes and to produce new and innovative outcomes that are not derivative or repetitive but instead explore and expand boundaries.

Their approach receives critical acclaim from architects and clients alike. These shared values and goals form a feedback loop that enables Omni to successfully work across scales and typologies that have a strong and enduring community impact. Omni has a pioneering spirit that simultaneously elevates the cultural literacy of the client and the Commonwealth.

The monograph, produced in two volumes, presents the visceral realities of the practice while striving to assess the value and the contribution of each individual project and its impact on the collective body of work. Omni takes a semi-intellectual stance to expand knowledge within the field of architecture by fusing research with creative thought to better understand the nature of the given project. The lateral alignment of the project to the practice serves as the basis of their formative theoretical underpinnings. Omni’s work does not occur in isolation, but rather through collaboration with their clients.

Each project leverages research to present a broad background of layered meaning and purpose. The selected projects serve as illustrations that address how a user’s needs align with the firm’s greater architectural aspirations. These images also present a critical way of thinking about design and the people for whom Omni designs their projects.

Positive Office Culture Omni Architects is a purpose-driven firm that presents an inclusive and collaborative approach to the business development and management ethos of the firm. Omni recognized early on that people are the heart and soul of their firm. They often leverage resources to develop the intellectual 9

and theoretical attributes of their staff simultaneously. Their diverse approach serves as a framework that elevates the firm’s culture as a professional ecosystem that encourages mentoring and learning.

The partners of the firm have a longstanding commitment to finding and developing talent and then aspire to find their voice. In a formative manner, Omni is prototyping the next generation of architectural leaders and potentially grooming partners who, in turn, share their architectural vision and leadership culture. In short, their ambitious business model molds the business around talent.

Moving Forward Since 1997, Omni’s work shifted from individual designs led by the firm’s partners to more collaborative projects under the direction of Michel Jacobs, FAIA and Eric Zabilka, AIA. Projects such as the Northern

Kentucky University (NKU) Science Center (project #9704) – which was the largest and most complex project undertaken by Omni at that time – served to energize the growing lethargy of college campuses in the Commonwealth. The progressive agenda put forth by that project is most evident in the NKU Student Union (project #0311) and the University of Kentucky (UKY) Student Center (project #1404).

Omni continues to diligently work on transferring the firm’s accrued theory-building skills to the next generation of architects. Their embedded practice continues to expand through generations of iterative knowledge and work situated in context. The following pages illustrate Omni’s award-winning contributions to architecture, their thoughtful and cogent design solutions, and ultimately, Omni Architects’ positive impact on the Kentucky vernacular.

Gregory A. Luhan, Ph.D., AIA The John Russell Groves Endowed Professor of Architecture University of Kentucky Research Professor, College of Design, School of Architecture

Notes 1.

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Luhan, G.A. (2018 October, 17). Personal Interview with Michael Jacobs [Michael Jacobs, FAIA, Architect].

Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.

(IMAGE?) trace paper rolls

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Introduction This monograph is not a manifesto or a scholarly tome, but is reflective of our thoughts about the challenges that face architecture today. By compiling this collection of projects, we contribute to asking that more significant question of, “What is Architecture?” Perhaps we can capture for ourselves what it means to use sketches, ideas, models, details, and fragments of our work to elevate the discussion beyond mere building and advance the quality of architecture.

horizontal vistas in my waking moments and all-encompassing vertical nighttime views that extend to the universe beyond. When I find myself preoccupied with the mundane daily tasks of practice at hand, I gaze out into the still of the night, absorb the vastness of space in which we all live, view the rotational spectacle within the infinite cosmos, and watch the planets rise in the eastern sky. A modern house can provide this opportunity to look out - and even beyond – which has Addressing this question leads to metaphysical contributed in part to my belief in the modern views of the cosmos, a deeper understanding project we call architecture. of the relatively minute fraction of time we Architecture strives to ask, answer, and occupy on earth, and the impact that design respond to the difficult questions. Which gets has on the built environment. Therefore, us to the existential point of why our minuscule it is no surprise that we are occasionally efforts/actions to make a difference through overwhelmed and question our role as a few architectural projects (such as those architects and our realized outcomes - which represented in this monograph) should matter leads to additional inquiries: “Does it matter when there are billions of people with a what we do as architects,” and “Will this multitude of more pressing concerns in this work endure?” world. Can architecture make a difference?

I consider these issues and reflect on how Does it matter? Is it too late given the depth these answers might directly connect to and breadth of the built environment? Can we my life in a modern house. For the last ten make better, more environmentally responsible years, I’ve lived in a house that resides on and inspired places; that in some small way, a high ridge and overlooks a remarkable enhance the lives of the people who use terrain. From our bedroom, through a 10’ H them? We think the answer is a resounding X 24’ W expanse of glass, I see fascinating “yes!” However, architects often struggle to 12

articulate their necessity and relevance while searching to make compelling places that matter. This publication is not intended to be a full compendium of our work, but instead serves as a series of moments in time that illustrate our attempt to counter these larger and more significant questions of poignancy.

One might view these existential readings as fatalistic, however, that position might result in a false reading. Architecture, by its very nature is – and always should be – an optimistic act. Seeking relevance is what we do as architects.

It matters to us that we illustrate the process within this larger endeavor while supporting the aspirational side of our design and architectural principles. How do our contributions here at Omni make a difference?

How can this publication, spanning 43 years of selected works, tell a story about one Kentucky firm’s efforts to excel?

As we reflect, we see that many individuals have come and gone from Omni over the years. We have included each of their names in this volume as a tribute to their contributions.

We applaud those who have discovered something here and have chosen to move on — and in some cases even started their own firms — with their perspective on what it means to be an architect. Many others have stayed to see this project through. We dedicate this book to all of them; they have all contributed to the DNA that makes us the firm we are today. They have given their skills and ideas to this effort we have undertaken. We are also a much younger firm philosophically as a result, with the next generation of architects seeking to find their voice.

The project we call Omni Architects is not distillable into simple categorization, or through the limited pages found in this monograph. It has not been about developing a signature or recognizable style. We see our efforts as works-in-progress that continually improve and evolve. It is also not about cribbing current trends or being a national thought leader, although one might look at this

work and disagree. We do, however, aspire to be committed to, and linked into, the long history of modernism, understanding context, and place, and building upon precedent— working with our clients, not despite them.

Modernism in architecture is not a style.

Recently, I read that there will always be “modernism.” It is also not about being retro.

Modernism continuously evolves. I support that way of thinking, as this is what change promises and what innovation supports: a belief system that is incremental. We at Omni explore a Modernism-based premise through the lens of three components: Service, Design, and Execution. Any good firm can deliver two out of three of these objectives, but we aspire to excel at all three.

The majority of architects work with some type of constraints ranging from a client’s accelerated schedule, to a prescribed program or a limited budget; not to mention the logistical challenges of a given site or building/performance codes. Omni Architects practices under this scenario; however, it is under these parameters of working within limitations and constraints that architecture emerges, prospers, and thrives.

Along our journey, there have been significant recognitions of the work developed by our firm. These include nationally peer-reviewed jury acknowledgments, AIA Design Awards for Excellence, and comments of gratitude from the clients or users who hired us.

As previously mentioned, our profession and the discipline continually shift toward younger generations. At Omni, we embrace this shift as it has been and continues to be an integral part of our heritage; from our past to our far-reaching future. As the next step in our legacy presents itself, what can we offer to our employees as an instructive and intuitive framework? We contend that this series of monograph-based publications could serve an advisory role; a way of answering the question of, “What is Architecture for us now?” as well as a “how-to” primer for incorporating their life choices and career 13

aspirations to develop a better world through design while here. We need to learn more about what they value, challenge them, and continue Omni’s legacy of incorporating each person’s contributions and their creative imagination into successful projects.

Volumes One and Two of this monograph represent Omni’s long-term objective – to demonstrate the mutually meaningful goals of creating places that bring pleasure to those who use them, and advocate that these places are compelling physical environments.

One thing architects do achieve is to leave behind some evidence of our existence in the built environment as a representation of the aspirations of earlier generations. They are works of our imagination, which can also be a testament to the human capacity for creativity. We hope a few of these projects survive.

This publication provides the reader a window into our thought process to better understand what we do at Omni and how we approach design; both are asking and answering the question, “What is Architecture?”

Michael William Jacobs, FAIA President, Omni Architects

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Our History Founded in 1975, Omni Architects celebrates the collective rather than individuals, which is why founding partners Samuel H. Halley III and Joseph F. Williams avoided using their names or initials when branding the firm and elected instead to set the stage for a collaborative culture. Omni, a Latin prefix meaning “all” or “all inclusive,” exemplifies the belief that every member of the firm and each client is an essential and necessary contributor to ensure project success.

related to design services: the introduction of personal computers; the development of software to create more accurate construction documents — Building Information Modeling (BIM), 3-D imaging software; 3-D printed physical models, 3-D animations, and more recently, augmented reality. Although we no longer create ink drawings by hand and instead leverage the power of more precise software applications, there is one constant -- our projects are unique to each place and Since that beginning, Omni has become one conceived by our talented people. of Kentucky’s most accomplished design firms. Omni embraces technological advancements This significant achievement has been marked to create more effective and sustainable by many noteworthy milestones along the environments for our clients. While change way, some of which seemed unimaginable may be constant, Omni remains steadfastly for that fledgling new firm. However, through committed to three facets of project delivery perseverance and a strong commitment that are critical to immediate and long-term to its distinctive design philosophy, the firm project success: remarkable client service, has completed over a billion dollars worth innovative design, and skillful technical of construction across Kentucky and the proficiency. As we become more intertwined surrounding states. These broadly diverse in the digital industry, we typically ask projects are represented through vibrant questions such as: Where are architectural and meaningful environments for a range of education and practice heading in the next typologies spanning education, healthcare, decade? What defines the design process? worship, hospitality, civic, and workplace What new spaces and tools will we need in clients. the future? How do we simultaneously design Since Omni opened its doors, the profession in both analog and digital ways? How can has experienced technological advancements we engage the public and the client (users) that have forever changed delivery methods in our discourse? By focusing on these inter16

Offices of Omni Architects - 212 N Upper Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507 17

related aspects of design delivery, the firm has built a reputation for consistently creating architecture of exceptional design quality and great value. Omni has earned more Awards for Design Excellence from AIA Kentucky than any other firm in the Commonwealth and has been honored as AIA Kentucky’s Distinguished Firm of the Year two times – a rare distinction.

to serving the architectural profession, educational programs, their individual communities, and their clients. As Sam Halley always said, “service to mankind is at the heart of architecture.” Our steadfast commitment to the profession, our community, and to our clients is what we believe, what we practice, and what distinguishes Omni Joe Williams, AIA and Sam Halley, FAIA as a firm committed to architecture that is have since retired, and the firm is now led progressive, meaningful, and respectful of the

by Michael W. Jacobs, FAIA, CID, LEED human condition.

AP - a Fellow of the American Institute of We are also proud of those “Omnies” who Architects who began work at Omni in 1976 decided to move on to expand their careers, – and Eric J. Zabilka, AIA, CID, LEED AP, to work for internationally recognized design who began his career at the firm in 1995. firms, or to develop their own distinguished A team of professional and administrative practices. Their ambition reflects and reaffirms staff support their leadership, many of whom the culture of excellence that we aspire have worked at Omni for over fifteen years. to promote. We have included within this These seasoned professionals provide career monograph a roster of those individuals who guidance and mentoring for junior staff and contributed to both the individual projects offer their services, knowledge, and skills showcased in this publication and the to community organizations in need. Each collaborative project we call Omni Architects. member of our firm is deeply committed 18

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Our Place “Context should not be an euphemism for the right to exclude the unfamiliar” – Herbert Muschamp

Where are we?

We practice in a remarkable place. The Commonwealth of Kentucky was the earliest frontier as our fledgling country expanded west, and today Kentucky is a study of many contrasts. Our landforms vary from the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Mississippi River wetlands in the west. Our people include the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor. Since the founding of the first permanent white settlement in 1774, Kentucky has developed a rich, complex, and at times troubled history that extends beyond bourbon, horses, and college basketball.

For our practice, our place has three defining factors – the landscape and topography of the Bluegrass Region, the connection to the University of Kentucky College of Design, and the living traditions of the Commonwealth.

The first is the genuinely unique landscape of the Bluegrass Region. Underlain by watersoluble limestone and shale, the rolling hills of Central Kentucky have sinkholes, caves, and the features that define Karst topography.

The land was originally mostly covered in grasslands and the calcium-rich soil used for grazing livestock. This unique, undulating land form has been worked and reworked for generations and cultivated for hundreds of 20

years; its historic, dry-laid stone fences built using rocks cleared from the fields. Kentucky has more miles of navigable streams than any state except Alaska. Most of the secondary roads follow the topography of the land and due to their age are narrow, winding, and lined with closely spaced fences on both sides. The grasses in the region remain verdant most of the year, contrasting sharply with the wooden fences and agricultural buildings that are traditionally painted bright white or jet black.

In recognition of the uniqueness of the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky, as well as the commercial development that is encroaching into the agricultural and cultural landscape, the World Monuments Fund listed the region on their watch list in 2006. This announcement, accompanied by an exhibit in Louisville prepared by the University of Kentucky College of Design, asked a simple question: “Is the Bluegrass Region disappearing?”

Omni’s physical proximity and close working relationship with the College is the second factor that defines our place. The College of Design, formerly the College of Architecture at the University of Kentucky (UK) is the only School of Architecture in the Commonwealth.

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Omni president Michael Jacobs began teaching design studio in 1986 as part of a new initiative - a one-year pilot program entitled, Practitioners in The Studio (PITS) and its expanded program entitled Teachers in the Practice (TIPS). While he frowned upon the acronym, he agreed to participate and has been teaching at the College ever since.

Omni frequently collaborated with the faculty on several experimental projects and found the practice-pedagogy collaboration model a successful way to push the practice out of our traditional comfort zone. Since the PITS program started, many members of the firm have developed teaching relationships with the University of Kentucky.

We consider our office to be a teaching practice; this formative connection allowed Omni to benefit from the mutual relationship between academia and practice. This pedagogical and practical initiative continuously informs our work in ways that advance our projects, while also creating opportunities for us to share our rich 22

experience with faculty and students so they can develop a broader understanding of architectural practice-based issues.

From a design perspective, Central Kentucky is defined by tradition. This tradition includes a palette of brick masonry – the dominant construction material used in its earliest colonial days, primarily because of the region’s abundant clay deposits – and the popularized, regional version of Southern Colonial Revival architecture. While this traditionalist approach is directly at odds with Omni’s efforts to develop contemporary design solutions to our clients’ needs, in many ways, the on-going dialogue between our approach and the architectural traditions around us help to re-define our place and informs our work more than anything else.

We continually explore ways to navigate within living traditions that have recognizable forms; that root the building in place, and ideally re-identify space-making with a broad view informed by history and thought.

What does this mean?

In response to our place, Omni embraces the individual building as an integral part of a larger composition regardless of its setting, whether it be rural, urban, or campus context. Each building contributes to a “sense of place” that may well extend far beyond its walls. We believe that a responsible approach to designing in any context begins with a sensitive understanding of that context; a reading of the place both for what it is and what it might become.

Good contextual design could at times mean that a building is a quiet participant in the background, a texture that does not upstage any of its principal players; while at other times could mean providing a dash of spice to balance the flavor of the burgoo, singing in harmony, or striking a counterpoint to the larger composition.

We do not believe architecture is a “one size fits all” answer to contextual design. All good design solutions require insight, intuition, hard work, self-confidence, and genuine

humility. We believe that a place should not suppress the individuality of a design.

We also recognize that context guides the direction and flow of creative energy toward the realization of site-specific design goals that acknowledge and respect the traditions of place without mimicking them superficially.

When architects manage these constraints and opportunities well, our buildings help places become and feel more complete, thus resulting in richer and more layered meanings than a single building could achieve on its own merits.

Design is an evolving and thoughtful response to the full circumstances of every assignment.

We strive to engage ourselves in the physical setting (both natural and architectural), understand the program in both quantitative and qualitative terms, and embrace the values and cultural make-up of the client as well as the economic, regulatory, historical, technological, and political dimensions that influence the project.

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Architecture is... about the everyday. It’s about the discovery of the known — to examine, inventory, map, and catalog.

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On Object & Site As architects, we need to think at both micro and macro levels: to think about systems that can create texture as a scape (landscape); consider things that resonate and are inherent in natural processes, and utilize the dispersal of elements as an instrument to expand our thinking of the site. Our experiences mold into overt references as an extension of the site through materials and textures. If we attempt to move the building into the background and allow the site to become prominent, something emerges. We also want to investigate the ambivalence of interior/ exterior conditions. It is crucial for us to look to other fields of thought to understand how to organize, integrate, and relate to our earth.

Design has a basis in rational hierarchies that can celebrate difference. We are living at a time charged with constructing a collective vision of who we are. Omni’s collective vision is both the cityscape and the rural.

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Our Guiding Beliefs We at Omni Architects consider the nature of innovation within our design solutions, its distinction from solely being a building, and its contribution to expanding our architectural knowledge as being vital to our identity. These interrelationships call upon us to evaluate and reconstruct a building program from a set of conditions. We assert that architecture is essentially a discipline grounded in speculation whose program is project-specific and often coupled with a one-of-a-kind site.

It is not unusual for architects to sketch.

Freehand drawings serve as conceptual instruments that eventually become much more technical. Even with our technical drawings, we hope that they do not lose their quality as attractive exploratory devices.

“By ideology, we mean those ideas, values, and images by which individuals perceive their society at a given moment. In other words, we intend to examine approaches in criticism and practice that considers architecture as a system of beliefs and values and that explore the relationship between architecture and the existing material processes of society.”

– Mary McLeod

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Interpretive thought played out in architectural projects is an art wherein a value system emerges to reveal the possibility of ideas that exert influence, grow, and reside within the built environment. Here we posit that the exploratory design skills of analysis, observation, writing, and discussion can imbue architecture with a poetic spirit.

Our projects emerge from a vast sea of possibilities. Informed by research, decisions are executed from a seemingly endless stream of alternatives that support an enlightened position, allowing the project to enhance the human condition, define a place, and to be a discourse of our times.

“One of the underlying aspects of this conversation, which for me is inherent of the climate of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s is the basic assumption that regardless of our respective positions, the only respectable position is a critical position. This position distorts the whole discussion because no matter how critical we are about society or our profession, it is impossible to make a creative statement that is based purely on criticism. Some of our most interesting engagements are uncritical, emphatic, and very risky.”

– Rem Koolhaas

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What is Architecture?

Architecture is about understanding the nature of public/private.

Architecture is about being involved/committed to the project.

Architecture is an optimistic act.

Architecture is not as easy as it looks.

Architecture is about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Architecture is interested in broad inspiration. It is the belief that anything can be done.

Architecture is about materiality (texture, surface, color, and solid/liquid).

Architecture is about the quality of space (form, order, proportion, and scale).

Architecture is about being a student of architecture.

Architecture is about context, site, and place.

Architecture is about using tools (etymology, theory, and chance).

Architecture is about theory (knowledge).

Architecture is about practice (action).

Architecture is about communications and listening.

Architecture is about meaning (the content of our ideas, cogency, and clarity).

Architecture is about connecting to nature in a self-evident way.

Architecture is about perception (memory, sensory, experiential, and phenomenological).

Architecture is about the micro and the macro.

Architecture is about precision (facts, limits, and truths).

Architecture is an open discipline. It is collaborative.

Architecture is about working behind the scenes.

Architectural tradition is the illusion of permanence.

Architecture is about scale (full, and imagined).

Architecture is about seeing our world in another way.

Architecture is more speculative than conclusive.

Architecture is about living. It is about life, dreaming, relationships, and passage.

Architecture is about simplicity (the essentials, lightness), and the spare (presence through absence).

Architecture is about the poetics of everyday life.

And so it is the uneasy status of architecture. We begin by asking questions. If architecture is all this (and more), where do we begin? What clues do we have to understand these complex interrelationships? Have we over-estimated what architecture is, or can do?

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Architecture is...

Our Work:

1975 - 1999

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7600 Levas’ Restaurant Lexington, Kentucky 1976

Inclusion: Container | Contained Water Street (currently Vine Street) in Downtown Lexington served for well over a century as the service-yard side of Lexington’s Main Street. One of Omni’s first commissions converted four abandoned buildings between Main Street and Vine Street into one unified building. This building was the first structure to front onto Vine Street. This initial project represents our longstanding commitment to making Lexington a viable city. The city’s re-imagining of Vine Street allowed for a 25’ expansion zone added to the southwest of the existing buildings, which we saw as an opportunity to orient the new “front door” of Levas’ Restaurant. The design leverages the grade change from Main Street down to Vine Street and slightly elevates the lounge level to provide unobstructed views of Vine Street.

This sectional slippage results in a volumetric space grafted onto and into the existing buildings. Even at this early time, Omni integrated passive design solutions into the project, including solar shading, operable windows, and performative glazing.

This building and others surrounding it were demolished in 2007 to free the block for a new mixed-use development called City Center.

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In 1977, both Levas’ Restaurant and Court Square Plaza (also on Vine Street) received Kincaid Awards from the Lexington Downtown Development Commission.

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7700 Prall Place Apartments Lexington, Kentucky 1977

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Site Strategy: Offset | Individuality | Scale Omni received its first AIA KY design award in 1978 for Prall Place, a low-tomoderate income apartment complex. Due to the relatively small sites and shallow lot depth, the thirty-eight two-, three-, and fourbedroom family units were arranged in twostory, row-type buildings with frontages on both sites. The project sits within walking access to principal streets and has vehicular access to the rear of the buildings. The varying setbacks of the units help offset the multi-unit dwellings to modify the linear effect, to provide further individuality to the units, and to create greater privacy in their exterior spaces. Eight of the one-bedroom apartments are designed for elderly occupancy. These units comprise one-story row structures that are separated from the individual family units and are conveniently located adjacent to a nearby city park. A compatibly designed one-story building sits between the two dwelling areas to maximize accessibility and provide the necessary non-dwelling functions of office/laundry/ community center to the apartment complex.

7904 Betsy & Ira Fowler Solar Residence Lexington, Kentucky 1979

Form Follows Function: Sun | Wind | Fire Professor Ira Fowler, director of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Kentucky, and Betsy Fowler, a dental hygienist and jewelry artist, both shared a passion for solar design at a pivotal moment in the environmental movement. In 1975, Professor Richard Levine constructed the first passive solar house in Kentucky at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary. The Fowler Residence was the second passive solar house built in Kentucky. (Omni was also the first firm to incorporate passive solar strategies into a Kentucky Public Housing project – a twentyfour-unit, multi-family housing project for the Housing Authority of Elizabethtown.)

The Fowler Residence incorporates a Solaron passive solar air distribution system that charges a rock storage bin with electric heat back-up. A circulating fireplace that also charges the mass storage bin supplements the Solaron unit. In addition to the passive air distribution system, the project integrates a greenhouse and Trombe wall system. The first year’s electric bills averaged $35 per month. The Trombe wall system absorbed heat into its 12”-thick brick masonry and glazed greenhouse wall system. The Trombe wall used low-speed fans for heat distribution in the winter and to distribute shaded cooling in the summer.

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8001 GTE TSPS Elizabethtown, Kentucky 1980

Form Follows Function: A Response to Climatic Conditions General Telephone and Electronics (GTE) Corporation had previously entrusted Omni on other projects when it embarked on a new, stand-alone 12,000 SF telephone operators exchange building. GTE, a significant independent telephone company during the days of the Bell System, wanted this facility to represent the progressive nature of their business by adopting solar energy and evoking the technological characteristics of their business.

This project is the first non-residential building in Kentucky to deploy solar power and one of the first applications of insulated galvanized metal wall panels as cladding. The 2,600 SF solar thermal array covers 20% of the total floor-area and angles at 54 degrees from the horizon to maximize solar energy performance. The slope of the solar array paralleled the roof slope and consequently determined the form of the building’s south end. In addition to providing a building-integrated system, the project includes other active applications unique for this period including heat reclamation from the emergency generator, indirect lighting that utilizes less than one watt per SF, and individually controlled air conditioning zones. Passive provisions include a 6-foot-tall earth berm that wraps the perimeter of the building with heavy insulation to assist in deflecting winter winds. This particularly energy-conscious design approach resulted in a responsive building form.

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By 1982, GTE consolidated its operations to North Carolina and was absorbed by Bell Atlantic. This project joins several other Omni projects that are no longer extant.

After GTE’s consolidation, a developer razed the building to construct a shopping center on the 12-acre site.

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8100 Kentucky Medical Services Foundation Office Renovation

Generative Process: Surface | Composition

Lexington, Kentucky 1981

The KMSF project is one of the earliest regional examples of composite metal panel use on a façade. The project began with an extensive renovation of an existing Waffle House building. The adaptation stripped the front wall of the building of its shingled mansard roof, cladding, and infrastructure, leaving only its structural system. The extensive alteration in form and appearance includes a compositional front façade comprised of clear structural glass, clear anodized aluminum metal panels, and a round ceramic column. The 3’ x 3’ metal panel grid created a mosaic effect that accentuated the metal’s processing grain. A linear slatted aluminum ceiling extends from the lobby to the wall behind the reception desk to provide a continuous surface punctuated by a red column. The red column signals the building’s medical service function.

Twenty years later, the building was demolished to accommodate the expansion of the medical campus.

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8102 Systems Integration: Rigor | A Search for Precision

Jockey Club Lexington, Kentucky 1981

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Directions: Predominately Parallel | Shift | Shift Again Since 1894, the Jockey Club pursued its organizational mission to continuously improve and maintain the integrity of the thoroughbred breeding and racing industry.

In the 1970’s, architectural designs optimized the net-to-gross load factor. Most buildings of this period were rectangular in plan, which provided identical corner offices.

For this project, the developer challenged us to increase the number of corner offices, which were highly prized at that time. By shifting the plates along its structural bays, the number of outside offices increased from four to eight. Upon completion, the 45,000 SF Jockey Club office building results in a very efficient net-to-gross load factor with 87% rentable space. The project maintains a visible presence from Lexington’s highlytraveled New Circle Road and its skin produces a camouflage effect that distorts the form and blends it into the surrounding landscape.

The Glass Skin Years At this point in time, Omni designed several all-glass office buildings like The Jockey Club that featured silver insulated glazing to achieve improved energy efficiency and reduce the amount of heat gain, thus lessening the building’s cooling load. The Jockey Club design and material palette are a direct reaction to the prevalence of darker brown, gray, and black tinted glass widely utilized at the time, which often resulted in some formidable glass-skinned facades.

In contrast, Omni’s use of clear and Solex glazing became more prevalent on projects like the Combs Research Building (Project 8402), that frequently incorporated light shelves to increase natural daylighting, provide glare control, and reduce heat gain.

Decades before the advent of low-emissivity glazing, Omni recognized that clear glazing allowed for better transparency and improved one’s ability to see into the structure to reveal activities occurring within the buildings. As technologies evolved, such as ceramic frit coated glazing systems and the use of external shading devices, our buildings achieved even better energy performance for the users.

The camouflage effect at once distorts the form and blends in with the landscaped surroundings.

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8218 Ashland Plaza Hotel Ashland, Kentucky 1982

Stacking: Overlapping | Exception The Ashland Plaza Hotel and Convention Center was constructed on a vacant lot along Main Street in Ashland, Kentucky.

The site overlooks the Ohio River and takes full advantage of the river views and its elevated setting. The architectural parti is an interplay of defining elements selected from a consistent vocabulary of architecture and is described in a manner appropriate to its function. Each element, such as ramps, vestibules, free-standing stairs, and independently-defined programmatic spaces remain distinct from each other, yet interdependent in the final built composition.

The building setbacks reflect the scale of the surrounding context and its form, mass, and materiality were developed in direct response to its location and pedestrianaccessible downtown core. The building’s two lower-level floors form a plinth that provides entry to the lobby. The horizontality of the plinth counterbalances the verticality of the hotel tower. A two-story overlapping space between these elements serves as the hotel lobby that enables visitors to enter the building from both sides on a cross-axis. The void space of the lobby orients its visitors and reveals the asymmetric placement of the building core to the east and west and terminates the exterior façade composition.

The rounded ends of the hotel and convention center serve formal as well as metaphoric architectural connotations and together, evoke a relation to the Ohio River.

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The project received a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy that provided funding for a passive solar demonstration project. The demonstration project was located in the second-floor restaurant that incorporated a greenhouse with a passive water tube-based, heat collection system on the southwest faรงade. A change in facility ownership resulted in the concept being abandoned before it was executed.

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8402 D.E. Combs Cancer Research Building Lexington, Kentucky 1984

Systems Integration: Rigor | A Search for Precision Two old friends who shared an interest in creative collaboration both for design and research had long discussed how to design the “perfect laboratory.” In 1983, Dr. Gilbert Friedell, director of the University of Kentucky’s cancer center and William Lam, a building systems and lighting consultant, recommended that a team including Omni apply an integrated design process to realize their discussions and develop a new cancer research facility.

The Ephraim McDowell Cancer Research Foundation agreed to fund a multidisciplinary design process — unique for that time — driven by multiple meetings where 16 to 20 people participated in a structured conversation over several months. The primary goal of this team-based approach was to integrate structural, mechanical, and lighting systems into a flexible, functional, visuallyordered building. To achieve this goal, as many as a dozen client representatives attended each design meeting including researchers and administrators from the McDowell Foundation and various University of Kentucky entities. This expanded team participated alongside architects, engineers, and consultants from six design firms. With all the team members involved in the critical decisions right from the beginning, the unconventional, multidisciplinary process produced a shared set of goals and a mutual understanding of what everyone was trying to achieve.

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The design team assembled for the first time in April 1984, when its members spent three days on field trips to Cambridge, MA to visit and learn from several buildings and laboratories that featured integrated systems. Usually, programming occurs before that first meeting, but the site visits helped crystallize reactions and provide ideas for discussion that, by universal agreement, produced designable aspects with which the team could proceed. When appropriate, the design team documented the visits with photographs, sketches, and meeting notes. At the group’s second meeting, held in Lexington, KY, the team worked on a master plan that was not part of the original design service, but once the building was completed, served to catalyze future Medical Center land-use planning.

The original site assigned for the project by the University of Kentucky Facilities Department presented a wedge-shaped space between an existing building and a proposed, large parking garage.

But following a meeting organized by Roger Lambson, an Associate Dean in the College of Medicine, the interested parties persuaded the university to build

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the garage on another site. This decision created an open space on the Medical Center campus and positioned the new lab as a springboard for future development.

The Omni-designed Davis-Mills MRISC and the Whitney Women’s Cancer Facility later occupied the site adjacent to the Combs Facility.

Many of the architectural ideas regarding the organization of the building established themselves very early in the process, but none of the participants had preconceived notions about what they wanted the building to look like or how they wanted it to perform. Reinforced by impressions from the field trips, the team decided to separate the labs from offices to run a common support zone down the center of the lab wing, place the labs along the exterior walls for daylight access and views, and relocate the fume hoods at the far end of labs, away from the entry doors. The decision to locate offices remote from the labs and to position fume hoods outboard dictated that the writeup stations would go inboard. The basic building diagram generated during that second meeting was remarkably close to the final floor plan.

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During one afternoon meeting in Cambridge, the expanded team began developing drawings and options prior to knowing the size of the primary lab module, which resulted in many iterations, permutations, and combinations. As a group, the team hashed out the pros and cons of each one until we established priorities and came up with the final lab module solution. This approach is a testament to the beauty of the group-think process. The lab module drawings generated that day started with big decisions first and then were consistently refined to establish the locations of the shafts and fume hoods, the basic diagram of the corridor, the basic proportions of the lab, and the orientation with respect to the windows, doors, write-up stations, counters, and movable equipment.

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Architecture is... about the micro and the macro.

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Systems Integration The feature most remarked-upon by visitors and users alike is the bright, pleasantly-lit interior of the Combs facility. As previously discussed, daylighting was a critical design determinant in the lab module. The deep concrete beams required for the structure were paired and set perpendicular to the exterior wall so daylight could penetrate into the lab. Major supply ducts were placed vertically to distribute air longitudinally in the core support area, then feed laterally into the labs. The lateral duct runs are tucked away cleanly between the paired beams, resulting in high, unobstructed ceilings in the labs without increasing the floor-to-floor height. The white-painted concrete ceiling slabs provide an ideal surface for indirect lighting, both from sunlight reflected off perimeter light shelves and from fixtures integrated into the beams.

The labs are free from the visual noise and clutter of disorganized ducts and pipes as the piped services run along the corridor ceiling to provide visual interest and ease of mechanical access. Because the mechanical, structural, and lighting systems were developed simultaneously and with collective input from the team, typical areas of conflict between systems did not exist.

The result enhanced both the adaptability and economy of the design.

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The Combs facility’s atrium features a variety of interaction spaces for informal meetings, bringing scientific investigators and medical clinicians together and encouraging the same type of collaborative exchange that the design team experienced. The building also features distinctive, semicircular balconies with comfortable seating overlooking the atrium. Areas at the end of the lab wing provide a somewhat more secluded, yet open interactive area with built-in seating, a chalkboard, and, novel for that time, a computer terminal.

The Combs Building was featured as the cover story for the first edition of Laboratory Planning & Design Magazine, published in the Spring of 1989.

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8410 Meyers Office Building

Form Study: 4 + 2 = 6

Lexington, Kentucky 1984

The Meyers Building was designed in 1947

by Architect John T. Gillig. The renovation and expansion project upgrades an existing four-story department store building and constructs a new two-story addition.

The design solution embodies the dialectic inherent in the relationship of the past to the present. The quality of the renovation and construction expresses a deliberate contrast between the modified masonry shell and the new construction. All elements of the design maintain a consistent vocabulary of architecture, linking old to new, yet celebrate their differences. The original single-window, four-story masonry structure retains its presence as the new interior renovation takes its cues from the past and exposes its inner workings within the historic shell.

The design integration continues around the building, with the organization of the upper floors influenced by the lower levels.

The bilateral symmetry of the existing front faรงade continues at the first four floors as the glass and aluminum envelope accentuate the top two floors, with a sixth floor capping the historic masonry faรงade.

Consequently, the new sixth floor appears to float independently of the existing stone cornice, thus signifying the existence of two buildings within the same spatial volume. A further connection is implied by replicating the grid of the cut limestone with aluminum panels.

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The new black, ceramic-tiled main entrance serves as a reference to the original black marble entrance. The new windows on the front faรงade respond to the pattern of the cut limestone panels. The rhythm established on the front faรงade repeats on the existing side and rear elevations. A new rear entrance carries the logic of the masonry envelope into the building and reiterates the curved glass block wall used along the Main Street faรงade.

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Architecture is... about understanding precedent and paradigm— the icons, movements, and approaches; modernism, aesthetics, critical theory, and beyond. Most architecture results from modifying what exists (variation).

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Fenestration on the side elevation was added to convert this department store into a progressive office building.

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8448 Maxwell Gluck Equine Research Center University of Kentucky 2nd Place Competition Entry Lexington, Kentucky 1984

Unrealized Form: Extension | Separation The University of Kentucky selected Omni Architects as one of three finalists in a sponsored design competition for a new research facility that would support the local equine industry. Located on the University’s agriculture campus, the project situates in what was at the time an open field.

At the time of the competition, Omni was concurrently working on the Combs Cancer Research building, and discovered that its applied research methodology provided a vibrant and viable operational structure. The team calculated the ideal solar orientation and applied light shelves as both shading devices and as a method for bringing natural daylighting deep into the building.

While designed at a time of widespread precast concrete usage, the project avoided large expanses of flat precast panels by including offsets, reveals, and overhangs to break down its massing. The building massing also reduces the height from four stories to three stories and separates the horse barns from the main structure by positioning them along a training track to better integrate the project with the site, also bridging and connecting it with an overhead trellis. A retention pond was designed as a foreground feature to serve as a buffer to Limestone Street, with a privacy berm to shield the training track. A one-story building with a circular horse walking ring and auditorium caps the end of the building. 

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Architecture is... about representation— two-dimensional sketches, diagrams and drawings; collage; three-dimensional model-making; details.

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Architecture is... about structure—grids, order/disorder, and repetition.

The best structures cannot be separated from their materials or from their form.

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8500 Raven Run Nature Center Unbuilt Project Fayette County, Kentucky 1985

Visual Norms: Proportions | A Familiar Design Language | Bridging the Gap The Raven Run Nature Sanctuary is a 734-acre complex dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of the Kentucky River Palisades and Jack’s Creek.

This pro bono design project for the newly formed preserve was one of Omni’s first explorations focused on the creative spatial opportunities and gaps between inside and outside spaces. The design— accomplished on a 25-foot-long roll of trace paper in a single sitting— evolved over the course of one evening through a range of drawings, thoughts, and expressions that illustrated how the plan, sections, elevations, and axonometries unfolded on the site. The team converted the strategies outlined in the tracing roll to more formal drawings and a comprehensive site model.

Noting that there are eight sides to the building envelope, which mediate the space between nature and enclosure, this project displays a formal rigidity with adjustments that accommodate site specificity and user experiences. The eight elevations expressed as orthogonal planes regulated by a six-foot gap, incorporate a ramp, stairs, corridor, and deck.

The project, along with the extended roll of trace paper, formed part of an exhibition in 2001 at the Downtown Design Center entitled Drawn by Hand | Conceived in the Mind. While Raven Run Nature Sanctuary did not utilize Omni’s concept for the center, it served as a significant departure point for their effort to raise funds for a visitor center that houses the organization today.

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Architecture is... made by hand and underpinned with meaning.

You don’t discover meaning, you create it.

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8525 Lexington Dry Goods Building Lexington, Kentucky 1985

Additive & Subtractive: Overlapping | Slicing There is perhaps no site in Lexington that could better symbolize the changing attitude toward urban revitalization than the Lexington Dry Goods Building. In 1985, it was the first downtown investigation into a mixed-use facility approach, weaving together housing, professional offices, and commercial/retail functions under one roof.

The building received rehabilitation tax credits and complied with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Structures.

The original building was designed for mercantile use and as a result, the window application occurred only on the Main Street and alley facades. To increase its marketability and to convert the building from its original use to office and housing, required research into creative opportunities to amplify the amount of natural light that entered the building. The ultimate strategy called for carving away portions of the cavernous structure to allow light to enter from the side elevations. The resulting subtraction also yielded a four-story atrium.

The team studied the insertion of all-glass skylights to cap the atrium but determined the degree and amount of heat gain was unacceptable. Instead, clerestory lighting was integrated to shield against direct heat gain while allowing natural light to enter from the top and sides.

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In thinking about the atrium as a void, it became apparent that if the atrium could overlap the interior masonry party-wall, a more complex space would result. Square openings were introduced to into the partywall to allow visual connection of the whole.

This masonry wall was once the windowless exterior side wall of the 1907 structure. The new atrium overlap allows one to walk from 1907 to 1920 and perceive this structure as really two buildings. As a focal point, the atrium allows for the centralization of the building’s circulation. To maintain the openness and spirit of the new, a steelframed glass-backed elevator sits like the former birdcage elevator, but is now positioned at the center of the atrium as stores, offices, and apartments open directly onto the atrium space.

The Main Street storefront is traditionally one of the most essential features of historic commercial buildings. With this awareness, a sensitive rehabilitation of the north and south storefronts ensued. The new addition does not attempt to embody the character of the 1920’s but, instead reads like a 1980’s addition. Paint selection for the frame, sash, and decorative trim was intentionally simple. The use of warm gray trim with color accents remains consistent with the interior color selections. The renovation also called for the careful cleaning and glass repair of the rear metal-awning windows of the 1920 addition.

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The interior features of the building remain intact with very few alterations since its original construction. On the first floor, in both the original section and the addition, the pressed metal ceiling remains.

In the1907 section, eight cast-iron columns run the length of the building. Steam radiators wrapping around the base of each column also remain. Extant interior features enhance their contribution to the overall integrity of the original building and include cast-iron columns, tin ceilings, maple strip flooring, and the existing wooden staircase with turned spindles and a squarepost newel that ascends to the second floor.

Designed initially as new internal fire stairs, the developer chose to move the fire stairs to the exterior to improve space utilization.

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The most intriguing aspect of the conversion adds residential areas with eight loft-style apartments ranging from 800 to 2,000 square feet. The concept provides modernist constructions within the existing building envelope with openness achieved by minimizing the build-out of each unit. Each apartment has a service core that houses a kitchen, bath, and closets constructed as freestanding elements that separate the living and sleeping functions. The living pods are eight-feet-tall and sit under the existing 12’-tall ceilings. Several skylights added to provide light to interior spaces and glass block partitions introduce additional sources of borrowed light into bathroom areas. The residential units’ color palette is predominantly white, with primary colors used as accents.

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8600 Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial Unbuilt Project Frankfort, Kentucky 1986

Operative Moves: Aggregation | Variation | Compression | Relief Designed to overlook the State Capitol, the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial was initiated to honor those Kentuckians who served the nation and gave their lives during the Vietnam War. Omni’s concept for the design competition includes a field of 36 equally-spaced platonic cubes with the names of the 1,105 fallen Kentuckians carved into the cut limestone panels within a variant 9-square pattern.

The gently sloping site permits the top stone to lie flush on the ground, while the site’s sectional differentiation revealed the bottom stone marker as a cube. One cube was removed from this field of 36 headstones to symbolize those veterans missing-in-action (MIA). The distinction of this missing cube is intended to make the seriality of this field of stone even stronger. Another standalone cube nested inside a second cube represents veterans who were prisoners of war (POW’s).

The memorial included one living tree for each headstone as a living tribute that would benefit future generations — a reference to the Greek proverb that states, “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”

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Architectural Minimalism...

A euphemism for perfection and thus, unattainable.

The deliverables were hand-drawn in ink on mylar. Rather than drawing solid lines on the 4’ X 8’ large format sheets, a pointillism style was used. Each line was comprised of a series of hand-drawn dots, which served as a more thoughtful, ethereal, and tedious reminder of the profound nature of the Vietnam conflict.

One interesting footnote about this unsuccessful entry is its similarity in approach to that of Peter Eisenman’s Holocaust Memorial constructed in Berlin, Germany in 1999, featuring 2,700 pillars.

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8668 Owensboro Community College University of Kentucky Owensboro, Kentucky 1986

The project involves the master plan for the entire campus. Eight buildings were constructed as a part of this master plan.

These included buildings for classrooms, administration, maintenance, humanities, science, technical education, a student center, and a learning resource center. The projects are further distinguished by their compatibility and sensitivity to the site.

All of the buildings share a strong familial resemblance due to a common vocabulary of material and design elements. A coherent campus is created through the subtle manipulation of brick, concrete beams, and columns, metal roofing and glass block in conjunction with brick arches, square windows and steel stairs. The frontal nature of building facades facing the parking area is enhanced by the manipulation of form to establish strong entry points.

Similar conditions on the lawn facade of the buildings are modified through the use of covered arcades the width of the two level buildings to accentuate both entry and movement along the arc of buildings.

This project received an Honor Award from the Kentucky Society of Architects.

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8670 St. Claire Cancer Treatment Center & Hospital Expansion Projects

Plan Cogency: Quantitative | Qualitative

Morehead, Kentucky 1986

The Sisters of Notre Dame administer a rural network of patient care facilities in Eastern Kentucky. The openness of their philosophical approach to healthcare corresponded with our desire to use light and space to effectively define architectural elements and improve patient recovery. The goal was to infuse the spaces with natural, indirect, and direct lighting concepts that softened the details. The cancer treatment center and hospital expansion were part of a major growth initiative to serve the unmet needs of the region.

The off-site and stand-alone Cancer Treatment Center exterior reflects the central open space created by the trusses. The masonry veneer incorporates a ground-face concrete masonry unit as a base, with light colored brick above to match the existing St. Claire Medical Center complex. The building’s wood decking roof caps the enclosure and is in keeping with the scale of the surrounding residential neighborhood.

Right: Cover of Progressive Architecture Magazine issue that featured St. Claire.

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A mainstay of cancer treatment today, the CTC facility anchors the radiotherapy linear accelerator with 3-foot-thick concrete walls and ceiling designed to shield radiation.

The building — designed from the inside of the CTC facility outward — includes public spaces, treatment rooms, and support services. The design incorporates flexibility for future changes in cancer treatment methods while providing thoughtfully designed reception, family counseling, waiting, and treatment areas. The use of color, indirect lighting, exposed trusses, and native woods sourced from Rowan County provides a comfortable atmosphere for patients and families visiting the center and contributed to the color scheme of neutral colors and natural materials.

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The hospital expansion extends the existing language of the hospital with concrete banded floors and infill between a horizontal datum with tan brick and glazing. The fourstory expansion adds another layer of white insulated panels over the brick banding.

The two-story entrance pavilion, comprised of easily readable compositional elements, provides a transition from drop-off, to entry, to vertical circulation.

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8801 Northern Elementary School

Context: Ridge Runner

Scott County, Kentucky 1988

In the summer of 1987, two conditions created the need for a new elementary school in Scott County: the Kentucky Department of Education deemed the Sadieville Elementary School unserviceable and at the same time, the opening of the Toyota Manufacturing Plant contributed to the rapid growth of northern Scott County. The selected site for the new school is perched above a rural area of Eden Hills, adjacent to rolling countryside, thoroughbred paddocks, and a small lake. The design challenge was to achieve “spirited appropriateness� that provided a sympathetic dialogue with the context.

A team approach to the design included an amalgam of administrators, teachers, parents, and community leaders - all working together to advocate for a site-responsive, stimulating, and friendly school environment on a very restrictive budget. By using durable but straightforward materials and aggregating the classrooms into clusters, the project remained within budget.

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The design responds to the site’s position — a far distance from U.S. Highway 25— by hugging the existing terrain along the gentle flowing ridge line. The building rises dramatically from the overgrown Eden Hills where colorful shapes recall the traditions of Central Kentucky. The building comprises seven easily identifiable shapes, making the overall image simple and reminiscent of the iconic “one room school house”. Inherent in this concept is a return to the philosophy that the classroom should be the center of the learning process. Each wing has an exterior courtyard, and the central corridor permits views into these open yards.

The floorplan is configured around an interior main street corridor that serves as a central circulation path from its entrance,

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down the length of the school, which creates an ambiance and spatial experience unique for local schools. All areas of the school have access to natural daylight, and each room has fixtures that provide both direct and indirect artificial lighting. For added comfort, the project features multi-glazed operable windows coated with Solex glazing. The interior décor features light gray and white walls and floors highlighted with primary accent colors.

The project won a National AIA Design Award for Excellence and a National School Boards Association (NSBA) Design Excellence Program Award, and was exhibited at the AIA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

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8869 Centenary United Methodist Church Lexington, Kentucky 1988

Volumetric Form: Substance | Matter | Mass The well-established congregation of Centenary Methodist Church viewed the construction of its new church as an opportunity to create an entirely new campus. The church complex sits at the high point of a 14-acre site that maximizes its buildable area, adds to its stature, and minimizes the disturbance of the existing views and site features along the heavilytraveled Tates Creek Road.

The program included three major components: worship, education, and fellowship spaces. The final design organizes around a central courtyard that connects the narthex with the fellowship hall activities. The fellowship hall is positioned at the north end of the complex and includes a large recreation space. The education wing is situated at the east end of the complex to house academic classrooms and administrative offices. The sanctuary is located at the south end of the complex and features crisp, simple detailing and natural light from above.

Architecture is... about the profound.

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“The meditation garden, designed for personal meditation with the atmosphere of quiet solitude, provides a link between the sanctuary, educational, and recreational wings of the complex. It also serves as a setting for events such as arts and crafts’ fairs, performances, and liturgical processions, while a separate cloistered garden sets behind the brick walls at the base of the bell tower. The fountain design derives from the biblical notion of the ‘River of Life.’ As the water flows from the sanctuary, it traverses gently through space and spills into a quiet pool. The structure and organization of the building use two-foot wide masonry walls as the prime building material to symbolize permanence with large glass pivot doors located in the narthex, extending the interior space to the exterior garden.”

-Michael J. Crosbie from his publication, Architecture for the Gods

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Lost Dreams: The prayer tower was later converted to a cell tower. May it rest in peace.

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8870 Mid American Coin “Kentucky” Lexington, Kentucky 1988

Operations on the Volume: Extrusion | Gap | Memory Mid-American Coin, a national clearinghouse for coin collectors, purchased a small 5,000 SF two-story 1960’s building in Lexington, KY. The original building was of no real distinction, but it needed extensive renovations.

Historic white-painted brick houses with freestanding columns surround the Bluegrass region and the design riffs on this vernacular typology to acknowledge our unique sense of place. The solution included the addition of a new curved entrance element with concrete columns applied to its existing form. The design called for the addition to appear as a wrapper; an extension of the skin, enhancing its identity.

Compositionally, the project centered around an elevated half-cylinder and a front door narrowly framed within two tall, brick piers.

The new design serves as a recognizable building along the Nicholasville Road corridor that visually connects to the lost history of the 19th-century vernacular structures once found along this pike.

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8974 Kentucky Clinic

Layering: Material Shift

Lexington, Kentucky 1989

The new building linked Omni’s small and large projects in symbolic interaction. The Kentucky Clinic project located directly across the street from the KMSF office renovation (Project 8100), utilizes the same materials palette. The Kentucky Clinic project integrates new outpatient services into the existing University of Kentucky Medical Campus fabric and incorporates over 100,000 square feet of clinical services.

In concert with developing and following a master plan for the University, the Kentucky Clinic project creates a highly visible “front door’’ to the medical campus. This visibility results in an easily identifiable structure along one of the most-heavily traveled campus arteries. Since the end users of the building include patients from diverse geographic areas across the Commonwealth of Kentucky the goal was to provide a clear point of arrival, a simple circulation pattern, and a patient-friendly clinic environment.

The existing adjacent facilities comprise a five-story parking structure, a four-story clinic, and a University research facility. This fivestory Kentucky Clinic aligns its façades with the regulating lines of the existing University research facility to reinforce a frontal green space and to define a sense of arrival. A four-story garage connector and walkway organize the circulation spine between the existing parking structure and clinic and generate a framing focal point of the new Kentucky Clinic.

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To facilitate a simple circulation flow, all of the clinics and office spaces are clustered around a central lobby. Visual clues used throughout the clinic help guide patients through the clinical experience. The waiting areas are oriented towards the front glazing to provide maximum access to natural daylight, as well as provide views across Limestone Street. The design features bold architectural forms, curved ceiling plans, curved geometric shapes, and glass elements to visually situate the interior clinic and brand the identity of each clinic space.

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9018|9211 Gray Construction Headquarters Unbuilt Project Lexington, Kentucky 1990

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Conceptual Strategies: MultiPlanar Form | Additive Approach | Gradualism Gray Construction Company, a nationally recognized design/build firm based in Lexington, retained Omni to develop a design for a new office building adjacent the Omni-designed Southcreek Office Park (located on the former Headley Estate).

The paradigm for low-rise office buildings generally stacks office plates within a rectangular box, the form of which frequently responds to functional and economic limitations. Rather than pursuing the status quo, the client’s interests looked instead to the future, toward the rapidly changing office environment. This desire prompted a field trip to learn directly from leading-edge interior design professor Franklin Becker of Columbia University, who was one of the first advocates for research in open office planning using non-dedicated workstations and mobile carts.

The initial design, developed in 1990, began with a familiar type of organizational strategy -- the double-loaded corridor with vertical cores at either end. This corridor transitioned into an opportunity to carve away the corridor walls to form occupiable niches so that the floor was visually open at eye level for the full width of the crosssection. To further accentuate and increase the vertical connectivity between the floors, skylights above the corridors would bring additional natural light into the center of the building.

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The additive and the subtractive process resulted in a visually striking entrance and vertical circulation sequence. On the east entry, two vertical planes, set 12 feet apart and 50-feet tall, frame an exhibition gallery, similar to the compressed space of Libeskind’s Felix Nussbaum Museum (1998).

Transparent openings punctuated the multi-planar walls making the interruptions clear. As the working drawings neared completion, the national economy cycled once again into a recession and the project was shelved.

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In 1992 as the local economy recovered, the project reemerged, but instead of the formal design proposed in 1990, the client desired an aesthetic that more closely aligned with the corrugated metal manufacturing buildings that the client’s company constructs. At the same point in time, an opportunity arose for the client to renovate and occupy the historic Wolf-Wile Department Store building on Main Street in Downtown Lexington.

Working in concert with New York design firm Pentagram, Gray later successfully renovated the department store without Omni, transforming it into their national headquarters. The final project, however, reflects many of the research ideas Omni generated and designed with the two unbuilt projects, illustrated here.

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9030 Eagle Creek Branch Library Lexington, Kentucky 1990

Rhythm: Order | Uniform Proportions The fourth branch of the Lexington Public Library system — and the largest and most technologically sophisticated at the time— sits along Richmond Road (a main artery) on the edge of Lexington. The project features extensive landscaping with a central front lawn flanked by parking. As it related to other historical axial libraries, the highlyvisible entrance centers its asymmetrical façade with the overall building massing.

The linear organization and vaulted interior provide a continuous threshold connecting the building’s entrance to the central circulation desk. As a threshold condition, this operable zone mediates flows, controls access, and separates the east-facing children’s area from the west-facing adult area. Special features include the children’s story area, a fireplace, integrated stained glass, and a large public meeting room.

Brick and ground-face concrete block walls, oak millwork and cabinetry, and glass block apertures used as finish materials further define the relationships between inside and outside space.

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This worms-eye axonometric drawing illustrates the project’s spatial investigation as both exploratory drawing and working plan.

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9051 Western Elementary School Georgetown, Kentucky 1990

Assemblage: Material Study The site selected for the Western Elementary School featured six sinkholes, a topography known as Karst that is common to this region.

Omni’s design response to this problematic challenge called for the facility to sit along a narrow ridge, preserve the site’s natural contours, and transform one of the sinkholes into a large amphitheater and another into an environmental classroom filled with natural vegetation.

Western Elementary School is one of the first projects constructed in Kentucky that was required to adhere to the guidelines of the Kentucky Educational Reform Act (KERA). These guidelines made sweeping educational reforms that shifted the decisionmaking process from the state to local planning committees composed of the parents and teachers of each school. This opportunity redefined the standard space quantities issued by the state office and enabled programmatic innovation related to site-specificity.

The owner/users encouraged the architect to develop concepts appropriate to the site and program. In response, Omni oriented the classrooms to take advantage of a treelined fence row, designed the windows to run the entire length of the classrooms to frame exterior views, integrated sunscreens to mitigate the mid-afternoon sun, and located balconies adjacent to the Media Center to enable alternative learning experiences.

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The solution for Western Elementary School locates adjunct space along the corridors with two-story balconies off the corridors that both visually connect the floors and provide opportunities for learning to occur outside of the traditional classroom setting.

These spaces feature wide stair risers, markerboards, natural daylight, and visual access to the courtyards that surround the building. The project also integrates Extended Learning Areas. The easilymonitored areas, set just outside each classroom pod, provide for flexible learning environments where small group instruction and special projects take place. The classrooms also arrange into expandable classrooms for team teaching (i.e., grades 1 through 3 combined into one ungraded primary class).

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Architecture is... about learning. Knowledge becomes the raw material of architecture. It is the assimilation of our education, readings, and experience.

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9161 Spalding Egan Leadership Center Louisville, Kentucky 1991

Volumetric Forms: Punch | Carve Established in 1814, Spalding University is an urban university with a long history of academic excellence. As the university’s first construction project in over 25 years, the Leadership Center symbolizes a commitment to both the future and the traditions of Spalding. Named for former Spalding University president, Dr. Eileen Egan, the project creates a new front door to the campus.

The three-story brick-clad Leadership Center contains a 125-seat lecture hall, dining facilities, delicatessen, bookstore, seminar and conference rooms, computer classrooms, a student commons with casual interaction and study lounges, administrative offices, and a boardroom. Louisville glass designer Kenneth von Roenn designed a unique circular stained glass window that measures 25 feet in diameter for the Egan Leadership Center’s boardroom. The shifting volumetric forms reflect the differentiated program elements as the deep recesses accentuate shadows and the building massing. The primary exterior material palette is concrete, masonry, and glazing.

Overall, the Leadership Center provides graduate and upper-level undergraduate students with an academic environment well-suited for instructional purposes such as the Egan Learning Medallion Program, which provides students with opportunities to develop leadership skills through a variety professional development seminars, community service projects, and workshops.

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9221 St. Gabriel Church & Activities Building

Familiar | Unfamiliar

Louisville, Kentucky 1992

St. Gabriel the Archangel Church and School was founded in Fern Creek just outside Downtown Louisville in 1953, and was designed by longtime builder and developer Al J. Schneider. With increased suburban expansion, the growing Catholic parish needed to enlarge its existing sanctuary and create additional classroom space within the school. In conjunction with the parish, Omni developed a four-phase master plan for the campus’ expansion. The first phase includes the construction of a new church and multipurpose activities building, while phase two includes a renovation of the existing church and administrative offices.

Both phases were completed in 1994.

The new church, located in a suburban neighborhood, uses primarily brick masonry cladding to reflect the characteristics of the surrounding community. This ecclesiastical complex organizes with a clear, consistent theme, and a unified architectural quality to balance issues of “Utility and Glory” surrounding the practice of their faith. The project adds to an existing church complex with an interesting and cohesive series of spaces blending each of the buildings into a unified whole. The new sanctuary is based on “in the round” theater-type seating and features a large, circular, stained glass rose window designed by Father Peter Gray of Philadelphia. The window creates a focal point above the altar at the south end of the chancel space, while clerestory windows in the gable allow indirect north-facing light to enter above the narthex.

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A gable roof with trusses, a structure punctuated with steel elements, and structural wood decking spans the sanctuary space. Two large pivot doors separate the narthex from the sanctuary. During Christmas and Easter services, these doors open to provide overflow seating for 200 additional parishioners. With most of the focus turned inward, there remained one long, horizontal window facing the outside world. When seated, the secular activities and distractions along Bardstown Road were within sight; when standing, those views are replaced with the respite of green turf.

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9502 St. Mark Church and School Richmond, Kentucky 1995

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The design challenge centered on incorporating an existing stone church (1908) and an elementary school (1966) into a single facility while adding a new church, classrooms, gymnasium, kitchen, restrooms, and support space. Since expansion of the site was impossible, the new facility had to fit in between the historic church and school, linking them together and unifying the complex. The new church uses the same geometry, scale, and form of the existing church as an a priori form giver. The spacing of the existing buttresses system also determined the structural bay used for the new building. The design of the new church uses a cruciform geometry to organize the spaces and locate a different function in each quadrant. The exposed steel roof trusses echo the wood ceiling trusses of the original church. The new church accommodates five hundred with additional overflow space.

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What was the existing church now serves as the narthex with the new baptistery placed on the entry axis. All churchgoers enter through “the past” and pass by the baptistery, the symbol of their spiritual entry.

The existing church also contains a small chapel and the vestry.

A circulation ramp along the central axis links each quadrant together and negotiates the sloping site. Three classrooms are located down the ramp corridor from the entry space, allowing the existing school to expand its curriculum from elementaryonly instruction to include middle school grades. Further down the corridor, the restrooms, kitchen, and gymnasium are organized around a foyer, which serves as a “commons” during the school days and as the informal gathering space for parish activities.

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Architecture is... about articulation — communicating ideas through discussion, writing, and representations.

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9600 Dixie Cartage Unbuilt Project

Form Study: Appendage | An External Outgrowth

Louisville, Kentucky 1996

One of Omni’s unbuilt efforts included a comprehensive study for the insertion of a prototypical materials separation station onto a large warehouse distribution center.

In response to the sudden influx of employees needed to manage the material separation process, a new components station was necessary to organize an otherwise fragmentary and empty storage complex. Rather than placing these amenities within the warehouse, the design proposal developed a series of stand-alone, highly-articulated programmatic structures.

The elements include pods for a manager’s office, a break room, restrooms, and a small meeting room. The design team considered these elements as signifiers (signs) that could express the nature of these alternative pathways of usage and their impact on identity. To distinguish the program and to accommodate new program elements from the big box, the design integrated zones of occupation to further define the space. A key component of deploying this approach was the increased legibility necessary to differentiate the scale of the truck from the scale of the person.

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Of note: By 1996, Omni was routinely using digital modeling to quickly investigate form. At that time, the poor image quality, illustrated opposite, was not as important to us as the ability to quickly explore multiple iterations for evaluation.

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Architecture is... about thinking in images, in symbols.

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9700 Meridian Communications Unbuilt Project Lexington, Kentucky 1997 me·rid·i·an (mə-ˈri-dē-ən) n. 1. a. A great circle on the earth’s surface passing through both geophysical poles. b. Either half of such a great circle lying between the poles.

2. Astron. A great circle passing through the two poles of the celestial sphere and the obser ver’s zenith; the celestial meridian.

3. Math. a. A cur ve on a surface of a revolution, formed by the intersection of a plane containing the axis of revolution with the surface. b. A plane section of a surface of revolution containing the axis of revolution. 4. The highest point or stage of development of something; zenith. 5.

Archaic. Noon. [ME < OFr. meridiane, midday < Lat. meridianus, of midday < meridies, midday : medius, middle + dies, day.] - me·rid’i·an adj.

Formal Move: Superimposition | Placing One Object Within Another Meridian Communications was considering relocating their offices to the abandoned Rainbo Bread Company factory, located at the corner of West 6th and Jefferson Streets in downtown Lexington. The building was an isolated, nondescript structure situated within the historic Northside neighborhood.

Meridian sought the services of Omni to demonstrate how they might accomplish their end goal.

The site for this project comprises a total of five interconnected buildings, built by Rainbo Bread as “additions” to accommodate factory operations expansions as needed.

Omni first approached the design linguistically, noting that a meridian is a sizable, arcing gesture that might serve as a useful device to connect these otherwise disparate building elements. The interior loading dock design carves an interior/ exterior seating area for better outdoor utilization as weather permits. The surface would close during the winter. The proposal also incorporated a unique conference area that creates identity and place for each of the departments. The design removed a floor to visually link the second-floor users to the areas below. After the study was concluded, Meridian opted to move into another facility.

Many years later, craft beer-makers West 6th Brewery and other companies now occupy the old Rainbo Bread building and dozens of new restaurants populate Jefferson Street, finally proving the potential for peaceful coexistence of a mixed-use development within a thriving historic neighborhood.

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9701 Sisters of Charity Carrico Hall Nazareth, Kentucky 1997

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Form Generator: Layering | Peeling Back the Layers of Time For over 200 years, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth have occupied their campus, which includes more than two-dozen structures built specifically to serve their needs. The architecturally exciting aspect of these buildings is the range of the designs, as each structure reflects the architectural style and values that the sisters held during the period they were built. The amalgamation of eclectic styles on the campus used a common building material; they all used brick. This adherence to always living and building in the present guided the design for the Carrico Hall addition. Omniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design response incorporates two-foot-thick masonry walls that echo the permanence of the institution. The design also peeled back that history to reveal a secondary metal-cladding system within the shell, thus reflecting on the methods of making in our time. The project utilizes many sustainable design strategies as another example of reinforcing the Sisters of Charityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core values and their desire to serve as stewards of the environment.

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Architecture is... about discovering who we are in our own times, as a culture and as a generation.

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Architecture is... an idea that buildings articulate their place in time.

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9704 Northern Kentucky University Natural Sciences Building & Planetarium Highland Heights, Kentucky 1997

Form Strategy: Carving Mass | Revealing the Thickness of the Shell The NKU campus was founded in 1968 and is located in northern Kentucky â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a region that features an undulating topography.

The architectural language throughout the campus was rooted in the neo-Brutalism style prevalent in the 1970s. This project creates a unified home and conveys a collective identity for the Science Departments, which were previously scattered in buildings across campus.

Given the existing and long-established campus architectural language, the university was hesitant to stray far from the exterior cladding components typically found on campus: cast-in-place concrete walls, black tinted glazing, and red steel siding. We persuasively challenged the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s administration to rethink that paradigm by drawing examples from the existing campus architecture. Another challenge centered on designing a facility that accommodates future flexibility, changes in teaching methodologies and advancements in technology, specifically as it applies to the teaching of laboratory courses.

To accomplish the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aspirational design goal, the design needed to support interdisciplinary teaching, integrated teaching, innovative design, adaptability, collaborative environments, undergraduate research, state-of-the-art technology, leadership in science education, industry partnerships, and outreach.

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Given Omniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s belief that architecture is not only about materials, but about proportion and composition, the re-evaluation of the existing material palette articulated a more sustainable strategy for the University.

In deference to the existing architectural context of exterior clad concrete campus buildings, the design uses cast-in-place concrete as the armature for the building.

This approach enabled the use of bold forms and variations of use. For instance, on the north and south sides of the building, the design reduced the percentage of concrete material normally seen on campus, leaving only the structural frame with a layer of modular metal panels applied over the concrete armature. In lieu of the dark tinted glazing typically used on campus to address energy concerns, the project integrated Low-E clear glazing that outperformed that darker glass while significantly increasing the transparency of the building, both inside and outside.

The lighter colored metal panels selected to align with the new technology-enriched direction undertaken by the University also provided a fresh addition to the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s materials palette.

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Within the building, the Center for Integrated Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CINSAM) promotes the forward-thinking nature of scientific research in STEM education, design, and material selection. Following the guidelines of Project Kaleidoscope, dozens of “community building” design features such as display areas, lounges, team-building rooms, cafés, and outdoor learning areas enable interaction. These internal venues, along with a greenhouse, allows the structure itself to showcase the sciences and serve as a teaching tool. At the time of its construction, the building contained the nation’s largest educationally-oriented digital planetarium.

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9714 Eastside Family Life Center

Constructibility: The Nosecone

Clarksville, Indiana 1997

Eastside Christian Church began an ambitious expansion program in 1996.

The original strategy was to build a church during the first phase and then later build the Family Life Center. After completing the master plan, the congregation reevaluated its finances and decided to build the Family Life Center first.

The Family Life Center includes a multipurpose gymnasium, administrative offices, a kitchen, and classrooms for religious education and other programs. The readilyadaptable gymnasium served as worship space as well as a sports facility. The congregation preserved as much of their budget as possible for the future church. As a result, the Family Life Center is intentionally â&#x20AC;&#x153;utilitarianâ&#x20AC;? with minimum square footage and built using inexpensive, but durable materials. The congregation also wanted the Family Life Center to communicate their contemporary Christian message with a non-traditional design solution. The project was completed for $95 per square foot construction cost and adheres to the master plan and the congregationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wishes.

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The Family Life Center sits on a north/south axis, behind the future church. This central axis suggests a symmetrical building form, but the symmetry subtly erodes from side to side as allowed by the program. The new roof is a continuous arc that extends down to the ground with berms on both sides of the building to anchor the building to the flat site, which also hides the mechanical units. This form was Omniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first example of designing compound curves. The dominant feature on the front of the building is the conical entrance foyer. The courtyard surrounding the entrance foyer creates a protective enclosure for outdoor fellowship.

Once inside the foyer, space expands vertically towards a skylight. This strategy uses vertical space to compensate for limited floor area used throughout the building.

Left: Conceptual Diagram of Phase 2 Church.

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The gymnasium sits in the center of the building, surrounded on three sides by circulation corridors. This organization accommodates future expansion by merely extending the corridors to the north and adding additional bays. The gymnasium features removable platforms on the north side that will enable bleacher installation upon completion of the church building.

Above the platform is a built-in projection screen that floats in front of the concrete block wall, allowing indirect light to spill around the edges. The remainder of the programmatic spaces arrange around the gymnasium using a six-foot planning module that allows for the repetition of the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s components.

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Architecture is... about accommodating a program â&#x20AC;&#x201D; identifying problematic conditions, quantitative components, relationships, qualitative goals, activities, and functions. The thrill of a scheme can be found not in the complexities of the program but in its most subtle elements.

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9810 St. Albert Church and School

Expandable Space: Pivot

Louisville, Kentucky 1998

Since 1960, when the original St. Albert Church was built, the campus has experienced considerable growth, including a series of building additions.

One challenge was to develop a response to the existing facilities that was sympathetic to its history, character, and scale. One of the owner’s goals was to build a new church that had one foot planted in the past and the other foot stepping into the future.

The project included three phases in one: a new church, a school addition, and renovation of the existing church into parish offices. A more significant challenge for the design team included the development of an ecclesiastical complex with a clear and consistent theme from its various parts.

The project establishes a “sense of place” within this existing building complex. The addition of both positive and negative spaces arrange to provide relevant and cohesive spaces that blend into a unified whole. The connecting building forms have been viewed as space defining contextual objects.

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The new church program was more than double the size of the original â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an issue that presented a site challenge. By rotating the orientation away from the street, the building stepped back from the street to minimize the impact on the adjacent residential neighbors. As one turns the corner from Girard Drive and onto the church property, the new front doors presented an outward sign of welcome. The large butterfly roof used as an architectural form was also analogous to the open prayer book. Under this butterfly roof is a large gathering space.

This atrium-like environment utilized natural overhead lighting to connect the various adjacent spaces. The church has the capability of opening this gathering space via two large pivot doors to accommodate an additional 200 people for overflow seating at seasonal events.

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Architecture is... about memory.

The ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programmatic themes included: defining broad approaches to the meaning of faith; utilizing symbols; expanding the personal-communal experience; and enhancing awareness of the sacred. There was also a goal to maintain the practice of placing sacred images and venerated statues in special places. The west wall was coined metaphor wall as a meditation on the Catholic relationship to ritual and symbolism, the notion of permanence, and with this deep mass provides niches for the placement of statues and candles. The 14 windows of the metaphor wall correspond to the Stations of the Cross. The design envisioned the stained glass not as the literal stations, but rather as a device to tie together the various sizes and shapes.

This metaphor wall also presents a highly articulated façade along Girard Drive. It is viewed as another formal elevation rather than merely a flat, side elevation.

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9816 UK Women’s Cancer Facility Lexington, Kentucky 1998

Architecture is... about ideas.

Architecture is... not about ideas.

It’s about helping people transcend their condition.

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Incomplete Action: Continuity | Difference The Women’s Cancer Facility is an integral part of the Markey Cancer Center. The project, constructed over an existing basement, sits adjacent to the three-story office wing of the Davis Mills Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center (MRISC) built in 1988, and the Combs Cancer Research Building (Project #8402) at the Markey Cancer Center.

The new addition is three stories in height to match the surrounding structures. At the client’s request, the addition has its own distinct identity, but is compatible with the existing design language of the MRISC. To link the two buildings and to differentiate the facility’s programmatic uses, the project incorporates a café atrium into its design. This overlapping of two buildings merged two very different programs with a connective tissue of space and detailing into a single structure.

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9901 Somerset Community College Laurel Campus Academic & Technical Building London, Kentucky 1999

Form Generation: Shift | Lift This facility is the first new building constructed on the Laurel Campus of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. The campus, which was received through a donation to the college system, is the site of a former coal company. The existing coal company office building, a one-story precast concrete structure, previously housed the entire facility. Omni established a design language that would set the standard for all future campus buildings.

The solution incorporates the use of bold and thoroughly modern forms that reflect the extensive technology housed within the building. Precast concrete references the existing building and clads the technical areas at the west end of the facility as well as its support functions on the east end. These functions â&#x20AC;&#x153;bookendâ&#x20AC;? the red brick mass in the center of the building which houses the traditional academic functions.

Architecture is... about intention. It is a cognitive act.

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The site strategy responds to the adjacent lake and the sloped terrain. As a result, the building sets into the hillside with the main entrance on the upper side. Large expanses of glass enclose a 40-foot high entry atrium which faces toward one of the two lakes on the site. The Student Commons located on the lower level of the two-story side features extensive use of glass and an adjacent plaza that maximized the dramatic surrounding views.

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Programmatically, the facility houses both technical and academic functions: Industrial Machine Maintenance, Industrial Electricity, Electronics, Applied Physics, three computer labs, a CAD lab, biology and chemistry labs as well as medical and business training rooms. The three Interactive TV classrooms and the Virtual Library integrate cuttingedge computer and video technology. The Student Common areas includes a grill, dining/recreation area, TV lounge, and a bookstore. The project is a forbearer of Omniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Advanced Manufacturing Centers developed for the KCTCS network, and illustrated in Volume 2 of this monograph.

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9910 St. Gabriel School

Light as a Material

Louisville, Kentucky 1999

To meet the needs of the largest parochial school in the Louisville metropolitan area, Omni designed a contemporary threestory addition to the existing educational complex. The addition sits on the property in a location that allows Parish members easy access to the new facilities from the school during the day and in the evenings.

Despite the additionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large size, the building was designed with consideration to the surrounding buildings that are mostly single-family residences. By placing one floor partially below grade and using a low-slope roofing system, the scale of the building does not dominate the site.

The building includes several unique instructional spaces intended to encourage learning and innovative teaching methods.

The school and media center have three programmatic elements in the three levels.

A preschool with an outdoor play area is on level one, as well as a technology center; a curved library, reading area, and computer classrooms at level two; and seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms at level three. A terraced landscape unifies the complex.

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On the lower level, a large courtyard is located directly outside the after-school childcare area for outdoor play. On both sides of the courtyard, large steps lead up to ground level, forming an informal amphitheater and outdoor classroom. The curved form visible on the exterior of the main level is the â&#x20AC;&#x153;kiva,â&#x20AC;? a tiered reading area within the media center. Clad with translucent fiberglass composite panels, the exterior of the kiva allows for soft, diffuse illumination of the reading area while blocking views of the outside that might distract the young readers. The classroom on the upper level organizes into two clusters with an extended learning center in each cluster to facilitate teaching. The extended learning centers allow for pullout individualized instruction, small group discussions, student interaction, and are equipped with power and data connections for technology-based teaching.

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Architecture is... inspired by light. It is about light and shadowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; to reveal the sculptural nature of space; to find contrast; to evoke the ethereal.

End of the 20th Century These last projects in Volume One are representative of the pivot that defines Omni Architectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work and ultimately, its legacy.

This project completes Volume One of the monographs.

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Acknowledgments

Photo Credits: Michael Jacobs Deborah Cutts Frank Dรถring Mark Mancyzk Walt Roycraft Dan Sylvestri Eric Zabilka

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Clients

Architecture is about clients, not despite clients.

None of these works would have been possible without the support of, the trust of, and collaboration with our clients. One can talk about the client as an essential member of the design process, but we endeavor to practice this stance as a core belief. We work with our clients in many different ways. Some clients prefer to work with us in a very handson approach, while others advocate for working with a wider range of stakeholders or constituents. We value the contributions of everyone and have found whatever approach they choose does not dilute the power of the architecture. So much of our work derives from repeat clients, and we attribute this success to forming great working relationships. We hope to form new relationships and continue to advocate on behalf of them, and those who use these buildings.

The mark of an excellent architectural practice reflects good listening and hearing skills and responds to what is said. The customer is usually right.

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Airdrie Stud Farm Albert B. Chandler Medical Center American Mutual Insurance Corporation Anchor Baptist Health Appalachian Regional Healthcare Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville Ashland Plaza Hotel, LLC Audio Authority Corporation Bank One Baptist Village of Northern Kentucky Barnes & Noble Bellarmine College Berea College Berea Independent Schools Big Sandy Area Development District Big Sink Farm Bluegrass Airport Bluegrass Community and Technical College Bluegrass Theatres Boone National Guard Center Bourbon County Schools Boyd County Schools Buckley & Company Insurance Budget Rent-a-Car Campbellsville University Cathedral Domain Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville Catholic Diocese of Lexington Catholic Newman Center Holy Parish at the University of Kentucky Centenary United Methodist Church Central Bank and Trust Company Central Baptist Hospital Centre College Chase Bank Christian Benevolent Outreach Citizens National Bank & Trust Clay, Joseph CMTA Engineers Columbia Hospital Georgetown Commonwealth of Kentucky Community Action Council Council of State Governments Crestwood Baptist Church D.P. Partners David Hocker & Associates Department of Veterans Affairs Dixie Warehouse and Cartage Company Duncan Machinery Movers, Inc. Dunes Marketing Group

Eagleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Insurance Corporation Eagleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nest Country Club Eastern Kentucky University Eastside Christian Church Energy Coal Corporation Ephraim McDowell Cancer Center Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Episcopal Diocese of Lexington Eye Consultants of Kentucky, PSC FAS Construction Management Fayette County Public Schools FedEx Fifth Third Bank First & Farmers National Bank First African Kanisa Apartments First Alliance Church First Federal Savings & Loan Association First Security National Bank French Bauer Ice Cream, Inc. Garrard Co. Fiscal Church Gateway Community and Technical College General Telephone of Kentucky General Telephone of the Southeast Georgetown College Graves, Joe Griffin Gate Development Company Grissom Medical Corporation GTE South Habitat for Humanity Hagyard Davidson McGee Hampton Inn Hargett Corporation Hazard Community College Health Management Associates, Inc. Homewood Suites Housing Authorities in over 80 Communities IBM Inkerd-Blakley Toyota International Clinical Laboratories International Spike Interspace Limited Island Creek Coal Company Jefferson Community and Technical College Jessamine County Schools Jewish Hospital Jim Host & Associates Jones Lang La Salle Kentucky Basketball Academy Kentucky Community and Technical College System 277

Kentucky Department of Education Kentucky Department of Finance Kentucky Department of Justice Kentucky Department of Military Affairs Kentucky Department of Parks Kentucky Department of Transpiration Kentucky Housing Corporation Kentucky Medical Services Foundation Kentucky National Guard Kentucky School for the Deaf Kentucky State University Knott County Rehabilitation Center Kroger Company L.T. Ruth Coal Company Lake Cumberland District Health Department Lanes End Farm Lee County Constant Care, Inc. Lees College Levas’ Restaurant Lexington Christian Academy Lexington Fire Department Lexington Housing Authority Lexington Public Library Lexington Real Estate Company Lexington Tennis Center Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Lexmark International, Inc. Madisonville Community College Markey Foundation Marriott Corporation Mayo Vocational School Maysville Community and Technical College McDonald’s Restaurants Menifee County Schools Morehead Savings & Loan Morehead State University Mountain Comprehensive Healthcare Mt Sterling Housing Authority Mt. Sterling Country Club Murray State University Murty Farm Mutual Federal Savings and Loan Assn.

N. Hardin Medical Assn. National Mines Northern Kentucky Baptist Association Northern Kentucky University Octagon Development Co. Owensboro Community College Pennington/Omni Partnership Philips/Terry Development Co. 278

Pineville Community Hospital Porter Memorial Church Prestonburg Housing Authority Pride Properties, LLC Prudential Life Insurance Company Public Service Commission Quality International Radnor Corporation Reach, Inc. Rexnord Manufacturing Company Richmond Area Arts Center Samaritan Hospital School Boards Throughout Kentucky Scott County Schools Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill Shelby Manor Health Center Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children Sisters of Charity Nazareth Sleepy Head House Somerset Community and Technical College Southcreek Company Southeast Christian Church Southeast Community College Southern Railway Company Southland Christian Church Southwynd, LLC Spaulding University Springs Motel St Albert the Great Church St Claire Medical Center St Gabriel the Archangel Church St Mark Catholic Church St Raphael’s Episcopal Church State Farm Insurance Co. Sud Chemie Taylor County Health Center Taylor County Hospital Terry Enterprises The Academic Edge/Woodbridge Academy The Galbreath Company The National Development Council The Phares Company Thompson Homes, Inc. Todd County Housing Authority Towne Properties, Inc. Toyota Motor Corporation Transylvania Printing Company Transylvania University Trinity Hill United Methodist Church

U.S. Department of HUD U.S. Government University of Kentucky University of Louisville Untied American Bank Ursuline Sisters of Louisville US Bank US Postal Service VA Medical Center Village West Webb Companies Webber Farm, Inc. Winchester Housing Authority Wondering Woods YMCA of Lexington

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Awards, Lectures, Exhibitions, Publications 2018 Presentation

BIM Case Study: UK Student Center

Eric Zabilka, Erin Ruhl, Chad Gallas Commonwealth of Kentucky Division of Engineering & Contract Administration Frankfort, KY 2018

Sustainability Presentation Michael Jacobs University of Kentucky President’s Sustainability Advisory Committee UK Student Center Lexington, KY

2017

Commerce Lexington Small Business of the Year Award and Legacy Award

2017

Merit Award AIA Kentucky Northern Kentucky University– Campus Recreation Center Highland Heights, KY

2017

Outstanding Sports Facility Award National Intramural Sports Association (NIRSA) Northern Kentucky University– Campus Recreation Center Highland Heights, KY

2017 Presentation

Workforce Training Facilities Design

Michael Jacobs National Supply Chain Symposium Boca Raton, FL 2015

Honor Award AIA Kentucky University of Kentucky – School of Art & Visual Studies Lexington, KY

2015

Merit Award AIA Kentucky University of Louisville – Student Recreation Center Louisville, KY

2013

Kentucky’s Favorite Architecture, Top Ten KET/AIA Kentucky – Kentucky Architecture 50:50 Northern Kentucky University – Student Union Highland Heights, KY

2013

Kentucky’s Favorite Architecture, Top Fifty KET/AIA Kentucky – Kentucky Architecture 50:50 University of Kentucky – University Health Services Lexington, KY

2012

Honor Award AIA Kentucky X2 House Lexington, KY 281

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2010

Merit Award AIA Kentucky Gateway Community and Technical College – Center for Advanced Manufacturing Florence, KY

2009

Merit Award AIA Kentucky Northern Kentucky University – Student Union Highland Heights, KY

2009

Teacher of the Year UK College of Design Certificate of Excellence - Michael Jacobs, AIA, CID, LEED AP

2009

Leadership In Energy & Environmental Design / House Bill 2 UK Physical Plant Division Continuing Education Seminar, April 14, 2009 Michael Jacobs / Eric Zabilka / Jody Boelhauf

2008

Firm of the Year Award AIA Kentucky

2008

Honor Award AIA Kentucky University Health Service – Student Health Facility University of Kentucky

2008

Merit Award AIA Kentucky Veterans Administration Pharmacy Expansion Lexington, KY

2008

The Brick Honor Award Kentuckiana Masonry Institute Lexington Public Library Northside Branch Lexington, KY

2008

Competition Jurors Solar Decathlon - April 14, 2008 Michael Jacobs / Eric Zabilka University of Kentucky College of Design

2008

Build Kentucky Award Associated General Contractors of Kentucky Campbellsville University Ransdell Chapel

2007

The “M” Honor Award Kentuckiana Masonry Institute Campbellsville University Ransdell Chapel

2007

Publication Small Times Magazine - May/June 2007 Top 10 MicroNano Center in Commercialization University of Louisville Belknap Research Building

2007

Lecture & Panelist Big Blue Goes Green: A Sustainable Showcase October 17, 2007 Michael Jacobs: Sustainable Building Design University of Kentucky

2007

Lecture Space, Place & Life Chautuqua Lecture Series October 11, 2007 Eric Zabilka; Architecture Matters Eastern Kentucky University

2007

Tour & Presentation 56th Annual SRAPPA Conference - October 6, 2007 Michael Jacobs; NKU Science Center & Student Union Northern Kentucky University

2007

Lecture Earthdays in the Cumberlands - April 23, 2007 Eric Zabilka, EKU Science Center Eastern Kentucky University

2007

Publication Metal Architecture February 2007 Issue University of Kentucky Center for Rural Health

2006

Merit Award AIA Kentucky Natural Science Center, Northern Kentucky University

2006

Honor Award AIA Kentucky Center for Rural Health, University of Kentucky

2005

Design Award of Merit Kentuckiana Masonry Institute University of Louisville Belknap Research Building

2005

Build Kentucky Award Associated General Contractors of Kentucky University of Louisville Belknap Research Building

2005

Facility Tour Central Kentucky Chapter of the AIA University of Louisville Belknap Research Building

2005

Design Awards for Excellence/5th Place Industrial Perforators Association University of Kentucky Center for Rural Health November 7, 2005 www.iperf.org

2005

Louisville Guide Gregory Luhan, Dennis Domer, David Mohney, Editors St Albert The Great Church & School St Gabriel Church & School Eastside Christian Church Spalding University Egan Leadership Center

2004

Design Award of Merit Kentuckiana Masonry Institute University of Kentucky Center for Rural Health

2004

Design Award of Merit Kentuckiana Masonry Institute Eastern Kentucky University Health Education Center

2004

Build Kentucky Award Associated General Contractors of Kentucky Eastern Kentucky University Health Education Center

283

2003

Merit Award Kentucky Society of Architects KCTCS Southeast Postsecondary Education Facility

2003

Special Projects Award of Honor Kentuckiana Masonry Institute KCTCS Southeast Postsecondary Education Facility

2002

Merit Award Kentuckiana Masonry Institute St. Albert the Great Catholic Church

2002

2002

Citation Kentucky Society of Architects UK CMC Women’s Cancer Facility

2002

Citation Kentucky Society of Architects St. Gabriel The Archangel School

2001

Merit Award Kentuckiana Masonry Institute St. Gabriel The Archangel School

2001

Build Kentucky Award Associated General Contractors of Kentucky UK CMC Women’s Cancer Facility

2001

Exhibition Downtown Design Center Lexington, Kentucky August 8 - September 20, 2001 Drawn By Hand/Conceived in the Mind.

Drawings and Models 1976-2001

2001

Exhibition AIA National Headquarters Washington, D.C. February 2001 Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Eastside Christian Church

2001

Awards Juror Tennessee Society of Architects Michael W. Jacobs, AIA

2000

M - Honor Award Kentuckiana Masonry Institute St. Mark Church

2000

Lecture Art & Architecture Forum October 24,2000 St. Albert the Great Church

2000 284

Publications/Architect’s Choice for Excellence Award Architecture magazine, Vol. 91, Number 12 Computer/Software (VectorWorks) Lexington Transit Center

Award of Merit Kentucky Society of Architects Eastside Christian Church

2000

2000

2000

Publications DCD Design Cost Data - October 2000 Edition Eastside Christian Church Publications/ Merit Award Metal Architecture Awards Program - August 2000 Edition Eastside Christian Church Lecture/Presentation IFMA AFC Facilities Planners Conference International Facility Management Association May 7, 2000 Northern Kentucky University

1999

Award of Merit Kentucky Society of Architects Sisters of Charity of Nazareth

1999

Awards Juror Indiana Society of Architects Michael W. Jacobs, AIA

1999

Publications Architecture For The Gods Michael J. Crosbie, Ed. Images Publishing Centenary United Methodist Church

1998

Award of Merit Kentuckiana Masonry Institute Eagle Creek Branch Library

1997

Merit Award National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials Lexington Housing Authority Central Office

1996

Jury Chairman East Tennessee Masonry Awards Program Michael Jacobs, AIA

1995

M - Honor Award Kentuckiana Masonry Institute St. Gabriel the Archangel Church

1995

Merit Award Kentuckiana Masonry Institute Egan Leadership Center, Spalding University

1995

Merit Award Kentuckiana Masonry Institute Western Elementary School

1995

Citation Award Kentucky Society of Architects St. Gabriel the Archangel Church

1994

Honor Award Kentucky Society of Architects Centenary United Methodist Church

1994

Publications April 1994Progressive Architecture Centenary United Methodist Church

285

286

1994

Merit Award Kentucky Chapter - American Society Landscape Architects Florence Nature Center

1992

M - Honor Award Kentuckiana Masonry Institute Centenary United Methodist Church

1992

Special Recognition Design Award Kentucky Chapter - American Society Landscape Architects Egan Leadership Center, Spalding University

1992

Publications Progressive Architecture (August) UK Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center St. Claire Cancer Treatment Center

1992

C. Julian Oberwarth Service Award Kentucky Society of Architects Samuel H. Halley III, AIA

1991

AIA/NSBA Exhibition: San Francisco, CA National School Board Association/American Institute of Architects Northern Elementary School

1991

National Citation National School Board Association/American Institute of Architects Northern Elementary School

1991

Honor Award Kentucky Society of Architects Lexington Dry Goods Building

1991

Merit Award Kentucky Chapter - American Society Landscape Architects Environmental Learning Center, Western Elementary School

1991

Silver Medal of Distinction/Lecture Tau Sigma Delta Michael Jacobs, AIA

1990

Merit Award Kentucky Chapter - American Society Landscape Architects Centenary United Methodist Church

1990

Publications Laboratory Planning and Design Magazine UK Combs Cancer Research Facility

1989

Award of Recognition Kentuckiana Masonry Institute Lexington Fayette Urban County Government Public Works Facility

1989

Merit Award Kentucky Chapter - American Society Landscape Architects St. Hubertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Burial Garden

1989

Honor Award Kentucky Society of Architects Lexington Fayette Urban County Government Public Works Facility

1989

Honor Award Kentucky Society of Architects St. Claire Cancer Treatment Center

1989

Honor Award Kentucky Society of Architects Owensboro Community College

1989

Facility Tour Eastern Kentucky Chapter of the AIA Lexington Dry Goods Building November 29, 1988

1988

Award of Recognition Kentuckiana Masonry Institute Bourbon Central Elementary School

1988

Distinguished Service Award UK College of Architecture Michael W. Jacobs AIA

1987

Distinguished Firm Award Kentucky Society of Architects

1987

Joseph P. Graves Memorial Lecture Horse Farms of the Bluegrass Transylvania University Michael W. Jacobs, AIA

1987

Honor Award Kentucky Society of Architects Episcopal Church of the Resurrection

1987

M - Honor Award Kentuckiana Masonry Institute Episcopal Church of the Resurrection

1987

Outstanding Service To The Profession Award Kentucky Chapter - American Society Landscape Architects Samuel H. Halley III, AIA

1986

Distinguished Service Award Kentucky Society of Architects Samuel H. Halley III, AIA

1985

Special Recognition Kentucky Chapter - American Society Landscape Architects University of Kentucky Sculpture Garden

1984

Publications The Kentucky Governor’s Mansion – A Restoration William Seale, Author Harmony House Publishers Governor’s Mansion

1983

Citation Award Kentucky Society of Architects Governor’s Mansion

1983

Lecture Kentucky Heritage Council Kentucky Images Conference Michael W. Jacobs, AIA

1982

Distinguished Service Award UK College of Architecture Samuel H. Halley III, AIA 287

288

1981

Honor Award Kentucky Society of Architects McLoney & Associates Office

1981

Honor Award Kentucky Society of Architects TSPS Remote Traffic Office / GTE

1979

Honor Award Kentucky Society of Architects J. S. Emrath Memorial Library

1979

Lecture Kentucky Energy Cabinet Solar Energy Conference GTE TSPS Facility Michael W. Jacobs, AIA

1978

Design Award Kentucky Housing Corporation Prall Place Apartments

1977

Kincaid Award Lexington Downtown Development Commission Levasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Restaurant

1977

Honor Certificate Lexington Downtown Development Commission The Court Square Plaza

289

McLoney Omni Architects

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

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Sam Halley David McIntosh

Sam Halley David McIntosh Joe Williams Doug McLoney Thom Lund Barry Donaldson Nancy Merris Michael Jacobs Sharon Elkin

Sam Halley David McIntosh Joe Williams Thom Lund Barry Donaldson Nancy Merris Michael Jacobs Sharon Elkin

Sam Halley David McIntosh Joe Williams Thom Lund Barry Donaldson Nancy Merris Michael Jacobs Laura Bowers Kerry Rainey Garry Hisel Ramond Lawson

Sam Halley David McIntosh Joe Williams Thom Lund Barry Donaldson Nancy Merris Michael Jacobs Laura Bowers Kerry Rainey Robin Donhoff Robert Taylor Brian Sawyer Joe Crouch Steve Burrus Bennie Fuson Marty Friedman Joan Williams

Sam Halley David McIntosh Joe Williams Barry Donaldson Nancy Merris Michael Jacobs Kerry Rainey Brian Sawyer Joe Crouch Steve Burrus Marty Friedman Joan Williams Joe McGee Bob Donnelly Sandra Sisk Sharon Elkin

Sam Halley David McIntosh Joe Williams Barry Donaldson Nancy Merris Michael Jacobs Kerry Rainey Brian Sawyer Joe Crouch Steve Burrus Marty Friedman Joan Williams Joe McGee Bob Donnelly Sandra Sisk Sharon Elkin Ken Greene Mary C. Wagoner Molly Burlew

431 W. Fourth St.

239 N. Broadway

1980

1981

MERGER McLoney & Assoc.

Doug McLoney Al Warner Charles Sandusky Joe Lewis Charles Jolly Ben Young Royce Bourne Nick Feldman Rex Cecil Virginia Clark David Shafferman David McAdams Mark Trimble Brian Tirpak John Walton John Lee Morgan McIlwain Larry Schwering John Whitney Ed Bilby Amy Goad Merle Green Sandra Shackelford Nancye Sims Marsha Rice Margie Rogers

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ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCH CIVIL ENGR

ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCH CIVIL ENGR

ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCH CIVIL ENGR

ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCH CIVIL ENGR

ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCH CIVIL ENGR

ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCH CIVIL ENGR

Sam Halley David McIntosh Joe Williams Barry Donaldson Nancy Merris Michael Jacobs Doug McLoney Al Warner Charles Sandusky Virginia Clark Joe Lewis Ben Young Charles Jolly Royce Bourne Nick Feldman Rex Cecil Kerry Rainey Brian Sawyer Joe Crouch Steve Burrus Marty Friedman David Shafferman Mark Trimble John Walton John Lee Ed Bilby Amy Goad Ken Greene Merle Green Mary C. Wagoner Marsha Rice Margie Rogers Morgan McIlwain Larry Schwering Lee Ann Mercer Joe Turley Jeff Kolpek Angela Murphy Mike Karuzas

Sam Halley David McIntosh Joe Williams Nancy Merris Michael Jacobs Doug McLoney Al Warner Charles Sandusky Virginia Clark Joe Lewis Ben Young Charles Jolly Royce Bourne Rex Cecil Marty Friedman Mark Trimble John Walton Merle Green Ken Greene Molly Burlew Margie Rogers Morgan McIlwain Larry Schwering Joe Turley Jeff Kolpek Angela Murphy Mike Karuzas Nancy Lipsey S. Bessecker Susan Sanslow Patrica McCool John Whitney George Downs G. Lee Wild

Sam Halley Joe Williams Nancy Lashbrook Michael Jacobs Doug McLoney Al Warner Charles Sandusky Virginia Clark Ben Young Charles Jolly Royce Bourne Marty Friedman John Walton Merle Green Ken Greene Molly Burlew Margie Rogers Morgan McIlwain Larry Schwering Joe Turley Jeff Kolpek Mike Karuzas Nancy Lipsey John Whitney Lee Wild Susan Sanslow Lee Ann Mercer George Downs Judy Krupa Angela Hollearn John Robertson Susan Martin Debbie Gullett Mary Fitch Nancy Amon Bob Gillig Pat Poe Dixon

Sam Halley Joe Williams Nancy Lashbrook Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Ben Young Marty Friedman John Walton Ken Greene Margie Rogers Morgan McIlwain Larry Schwering Joe Turley Mike Karuzas Nancy Lipsey John Whitney Lee Wild Susan Sanslow Lee Ann Mercer Judy Krupa Angela Hollearn Mary Fitch Bob Gillig John Robertson Susan Martin Nancy Amon Scott Guyon Mark Arnold Amy Nobel Kim Tarbox

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Ben Young John Walton Ken Greene Margie Rogers Morgan McIlwain Larry Schwering Joe Turley Mike Karuzas John Whitney Lee Wild Susan Sanslow Lee Ann Mercer Bob Gillig Susan Martin Nancy Amon Mark Arnold Scott Guyon Elaine Taylor Glen Buckner Steve Greenwell Sheri Watkowski Greg White

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Ben Young Ken Greene Margie Rogers Morgan McIlwain Joe Turley Mike Karuzas John Whitney Susan Sanslow Lee Ann Mercer Susan Martin Mark Arnold Elaine Taylor Steve Greenwell Glen Buckner Sheri Watkowski Greg White Mark Kim Fuller Cindy Ashcraft Carla Shuman Shella Davenport

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Ben Young Ken Greene Margie Rogers Joe Turley Mike Karuzas John Whitney Susan Martin Mark Arnold Elaine Taylor Steve Greenwell Greg White Mark Seiver Kim Fuller Shella Davenport Suzie Fryman Karen Foose Jane Hudson Allen Davis Ashlee Owen Dave Humlong Derek Brooks R. L. Stanley David White Bill Williams Donna Justice

Southcreek Park

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ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCH

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ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCH

ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Ben Young Ken Greene Joe Turley Mike Karuzas John Whitney Mark Arnold Elaine Taylor Steve Greenwell Greg White Mark Seiver Shella Davenport Suzie Fryman Karen Foose Jane Hudson Allen Davis Dave Humlong Derek Brooks R. L. Stanley David White Bill Williams Donna Justice Bob Fish Tracy Garrison Karen Russcher Michelle Lambson Ray Lancaster Greg Miller Laura Black

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Ben Young Ken Greene Joe Turley Mike Karuzas John Whitney Mark Arnold Elaine Taylor Steve Greenwell Greg White Mark Seiver Shella D Razman Suzie Fryman Jane Hudson Allen Davis Dave Humlong Derek Brooks R. L. Stanley David White Bill Williams Donna Justice Bob Fish Tracy Garrison Karen Russcher Ray Lancaster Greg Miller Laura Black Graham Rohl Dan Jones Beth Ybarra David Ford Trevor Williams Karen Scott Mary Jilka Chip McCully Barry Slone Kari O’Conner Anthony Smith Elizabeth Culbertson

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Ben Young Ken Greene Joe Turley Mike Karuzas John Whitney Mark Arnold Steve Greenwell Greg White Mark Seiver Shella Rozman Suzie Fryman Jane Hudson Dave Humlong Derek Brooks R.L. Stanley Bill Williams Donna Justice Bob Fish Greg Miller Laura Black Graham Rohl Dan Jones Beth Ybarra Karen Scott David Ford Trevor Williams Karen Scott Mary Jilka Chip McCully Barry Slone Kari O’Conner Lisa Congleton Cindy Bowen Greg Thacker Brenda Lindon Leah Moore Brantley Adams Janice Gustaferro Ian Cheistwer Jimmy Piper Terry Leone Reva Feldman Karen Mosley Lynn Wiseman

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Ben Young Ken Greene Joe Turley Mike Karuzas John Whitney Mark Arnold Steve Greenwell Greg White Suzie Fryman Dave Humlong Derek Brooks Bill Williams Donna Justice Greg Miller Graham Rohl Trevor Williams Karen Scott Mary Jilka Chip McCully Barry Slone Kari O’Conner Cindy Bowen Brenda Lindon Leah Moore Brantley Adams Janice Gustaferro Ian Cheistwer Jimmy Piper Terry Leone Reva Feldman Dick Patrick Suzanne Davis

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Ben Young Joe Turley Mike Karuzas John Whitney Mark Arnold Steve Greenwell Greg White Suzie Fryman Dave Humlong Derek Brooks Bill Williams Donna Justice Greg Miller Karen Scott Mary Jilka Barry Slone Kari O’Conner Cindy Bowen Jimmy Piper Reva Feldman Dick Patrick Greg Fitzsimons Dan Erlandson

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Joe Turley Mike Karuzas John Whitney Mark Arnold Steve Greenwell Greg White Suzie Fryman Dave Humlong Karen Scott Mary Jilka Barry Slone Jimmy Piper Reva Feldman Dick Patrick Greg Fitzsimons Dan Erlandson Kelly Pierson Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Kerry Dixon Jonathan Ware Matthew Brooks Chris Dierig Carol Denny

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Charles Sandusky Joe Turley John Whitney Steve Greenwell Greg White Suzie Fryman Karen Scott Barry Slone Jimmy Piper Reva Feldman Dick Patrick Greg Fitzsimons Dan Erlandson Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Kerry Dixon Jonathan Ware Matt Brooks Chris Dierig Carol Denny Claudia Reynolds Kari O’Conner Martha Hutchinson Sharon England Eric Zabilka

1989

212 N. Upper St.

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Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner John Whitney Steve Greenwell Greg White Suzie Fryman Reva Feldman Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Jonathan Ware Matt Brooks Claudia Reynolds Sharon England Eric Zabilka Van Meter Pettit Melody Grant Dan Rollins William Stratton Shannon O’Neill Don Adams Derek Brooks

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Jonathan Ware Eric Zabilka Van Meter Pettit Melody Grant William Stratton Shannon O’Neill Don Adams Derek Brooks Marla Dale Marty Summers Ed Muscarella Teresa Hargett Tracy Miller

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Van Meter Pettit Melody Grant William Stratton Shannon O’Neill Don Adams Derek Brooks Marty Summers Teresa Hargett Tracy Miller Mike Becherer Sarah Heller Dung Nguyen Peggy Oberg Jeff Bennett Gabe Jones

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Van Meter Pettit Melody Grant William Stratton Don Adams Derek Brooks Teresa Hargett Mike Becherer Sarah Heller Dung Nguyen Peggy Oberg Jeff Bennett Gabe Jones Tanya Greer Mary Hicks

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka William Stratton Don Adams Derek Brooks Teresa Hargett Mike Becherer Sarah Heller Dung Nguyen Peggy Oberg Jeff Bennett Mary Hicks Carmen Ruth

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka William Stratton Don Adams Derek Brooks Teresa Hargett Mike Becherer Sarah Heller Dung Nguyen Jeff Bennett Mary Hicks Carmen Ruth Gene McDonald Kimberli Bragg Bryan Goodwin

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Derek Brooks Mike Becherer Dung Nguyen Jeff Bennett Carmen Ruth Gene McDonald Kimberli Bragg Jon Rollins Cindi Applegate

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Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Derek Brooks Mike Becherer Dung Nguyen Jeff Bennett Carmen Ruth Cindi Applegate

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Jamie Draper Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Derek Brooks Mike Becherer Dung Nguyen Jeff Bennett Carmen Ruth Cindi Applegate Carl Mudd Tracy Wright Marcia Lopes Gretchen Wheatley Catherine Marquardt

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Derek Brooks Dung Nguyen Jeff Bennett Carmen Ruth Carl Mudd Tracy Wright Catherine Marquardt Gretchen Wheatley

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Derek Brooks Dung Nguyen Jeff Bennett Carmen Ruth Carl Mudd Tracy Wright Catherine Marquardt Gretchen Wheatley Jon Cheatham Jody Boelhauf Natalie Fast Matt Storie

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Derek Brooks Jeff Bennett Carmen Ruth Carl Mudd Tracy Wright Catherine Marquardt Tom Dorning Jon Cheatham Jody Boelhauf Natalie Fast Matt Storie Matthew Brooks Catharine Lowery Ellie Brown Carlea Kovats

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Carmen Ruth Carl Mudd Tracy Wright Tom Dorning Jon Cheatham Jody Boelhauf Matthew Brooks Ellie Brown Carlea Kovats Elizabeth Shissler Rochelle Owsley Kimberly Millerd

Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Greg White Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Carmen Ruth Carl Mudd Tracy Wright Tom Dorning Jody Boelhauf Elizabeth Shissler Kimberly Millerd Lindsay Cline

Omni

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Sam Halley Joe Williams Michael Jacobs Al Warner Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Carmen Ruth Tracy Wright Jody Boelhauf Kimberly Millerd Lindsay Cline Katrina Masters Chad Gallas

Sam Halley Michael Jacobs Al Warner Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Tracy Wright Jody Boelhauf Kimberly Millerd Lindsay Cline Thomas Katrina Masters Chad Gallas Morgan Brown Kellin Vellenoweth Valerie Morrow Michael Jernejcic Ross Graham Michael Breault

Sam Halley Michael Jacobs Al Warner Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Jody Boelhauf Katrina Masters Chad Gallas Morgan Brown Kellin Vellenoweth Valerie Morrow Michael Jernejcic Ross Graham Deborah Cutts Jay Copley Emily English

Sam Halley Michael Jacobs Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Jody Boelhauf Chad Gallas Morgan Brown Kellin Vellenoweth Michael Jernejcic Deborah Cutts Jay Copley Anne Knight Lisa Nelson Mike Schenkenfelder

Sam Halley Michael Jacobs Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Jody Boelhauf Chad Gallas Kellin Vellenoweth Michael Jernejcic Deborah Cutts Jay Copley Lisa Nelson Mike Schenkenfelder Nathan Tanner Wayne Cowan Erin Ruhl David Stout

Sam Halley Michael Jacobs Suzanne Raider Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Jody Boelhauf Chad Gallas Kellin Vellenoweth Michael Jernejcic Deborah Cutts Jay Copley Lisa Nelson Nathan Tanner Wayne Cowan Erin Ruhl David Stout Teddi Hibberd Mike Metheny Kelly Keys

Michael Jacobs Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Jody Boelhauf Chad Gallas Kellin Vellenoweth Michael Jernejcic Deborah Cutts Nathan Tanner Wayne Cowan Erin Ruhl David Stout Teddi Hibberd Mike Metheny Kelly Keys Mark Manczyk Shawna Hall Lisa Walker Christa Mueller

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Michael Jacobs Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Jody Boelhauf Chad Gallas Kellin Vellenoweth Deborah Cutts Nathan Tanner Wayne Cowan Erin Ruhl David Stout Teddi Hibberd Mark Manczyk Shawna Hall Lisa Walker Christa Mueller Amy Arnold Eric Shockey Shelby Hilliard Libby Lamb

Michael Jacobs Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Jody Boelhauf Chad Gallas Deborah Cutts Nathan Tanner Erin Ruhl David Stout Teddi Hibberd Mark Manczyk Lisa Walker Christa Mueller Amy Arnold Shelby Brinker Libby Lamb Sarah Blanchard Lauren Delventhal

Michael Jacobs Eric Zabilka Don Adams Jeff Bennett Jody Boelhauf Chad Gallas Deborah Cutts Nathan Tanner Erin Ruhl David Stout Teddi Hibberd Mark Manczyk Lisa Walker Christa Mueller Amy Arnold Shelby Brinker Libby Lamb Sarah Blanchard Lauren Delventhal Eric Williams Addison Hughes Nick Abend Ryan Moore

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